The Quality Of Affection
by Jasalissa
Summary: If Valentine didn't send Jace to live with the Lightwoods, and stayed disguised as Michael Wayland. He decided raising Jace and Jonathan together would help make Jace into who he needed. How characters may turn out and react in this situation. The Clave sets Jace the task to find Valentines daughter, Valentine disguised as Michael Wayland also wants his daughter.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

The sun shone through the stained glass window of the library of Wayland Manor, the reflection of patches of green and blues shards of the glass arranged themselves around the room in pools of coloured light. A huge oak grandfather clock ticked in a usual dull tone in the corner of the room, it produced sounds which made you think it was waiting, counting down to your death. It struck every hour with a loud clang that sounded like a megaphone stuck up a bell tower. It waits for it's for its victims to cross its path, then strikes. It could scare them half to death if they aren't prepared for its battle cry.

A solemn silence cast the room it set an uneasy mood. A silence so silent it was screaming to be released. It didn't belong in a library it was an unnerving silence like one you'd find on a battle field full of deceased warriors and a sense of destruction and devastation.

A raspy knock came from the other side of the heavy oak library door, it echoed for a few seconds out in the hallway. One of the two male occupants that sat in the library immediately picked his head up like a guard dog and stood to attention."Enter" he called in an authoritative tone he placed down the pen he'd been fiddling with for the past hour.

The door opened with a swing

A tall slim black haired girl stood up straight with her arms folded tightly against her chest. Isabelle Lightwood wouldn't describe herself as a 'girl' she was wise and had a good sense. A young independent woman with skills, strength and sense would best fit her title.

Her dark brown eyes smouldered like ash from a recently put out fire, thick lines outlined her eye shape and flicked out cat like at the ends. Her eyelashes were thick and extended and her eyelids we decorated with smoky tones of eyeshadows. The rest of her face was just as heavily made up with makeup, her cheekbones were highlighted and her jaw bone was bronzed. Her lips were a dark mate red and her crystal white teeth gleamed when she smiled.

Isabelle lightwood can often be identified in a room full of people by her long raven black hair that either cascaded down her back or was pulled back in a high ponytail. In this occasion her hair was pulled back and was cradled with a Dutch braid that wrapped around her head like a crown. It kept every strand of her soft long waterfall of hair neatly in place.

A tight black dress clung to the skin of her thin frame, it ended just above her knees exposing the rest of her legs down to her small dainty feet that were covered with black high heeled shoes. To say the least Isabelle was comfortable with her body and wasn't scared to show it off, but because her dress was longer than she'd usually wear and her hair was arranged in such a way it suggested her appearance had some importance.

It was extreme importance to Isabelle that she looked picture perfect and preened to perfection whatever the occasion, it was her opinion that this was what separated male and female shadow hunters. Woman could do the same job as the men but they looked presentable whilst they did so.

The boy who had invited her in relaxed back in his chair staring at her with a cold hard stare. He was tall and thin, he had muddy blonde hair that had bits of brown in places. It was messy and arranged across his face shadowing his dark eyes. Evil and menace contorted his face twisting it into a permanent scowl where his thick eyebrows arched completing his viscous look. All of his facial bones stuck out without the aid of makeup, his sharp pointed features sketched in a way that made him look rightfully spiteful and evil.

Jealousy and vengeance riddled through him twisting turning and curdling making is impossible for him to love and care for anyone else but himself and the person who made him this way.

"Oh that's funny I don't remember ordering a stripper" He snarled his lips thinned straightening as he stared nastily in repulse at the girl.

"Lucky for you Jonathan, I'm not here for you. Not that I ever would be" She responded laughing a little smirking with a little evil grin of her own.

She looked over at the other male in the room and away from him allowing him to glare at her. Isabelle didn't make a habit of engaging in conversation with Jonathan she couldn't despise anyone more. Demon child was describing him lightly, but Izzy knew him well enough to know rejection and the suggestion that he wasn't good enough was the only thing that hurt him.

"Jace your whores calling" Jonathan spat distastefully slamming his hand down on the table. Evil flashed in his eyes and his face went red a little from anger, or maybe embarrassment Izzy couldn't tell. He wouldn't be spoken to like that by a female, especially one who deserves the same respect as road kill Jonathan thought.

Jace jumped a little when Jonathan made his anger known. He knew he didn't have to jump to Isabelle's defence she could handle herself and would definitely give as good as she got. Unlike his brother Jace thought the fact that women could easily defend themselves was somewhat intriguing. It also contributed a sense of empowerment to the world that they live in.

Jonathan glared over at his brother who sat silently on the seat under the window doing exactly as their father had asked of him. From a distance Jace and Jonathan looked somewhat similar but exactly like their view of woman they couldn't be more different.

Jace and Jonathan were complete polar opposites.

Jace took his cool blue trusting eyes away from the old tattered book his father had assigned for him to read, it rested carefully in his scrunched up knees. He turned to look at Isabelle who was still stood arms folded and a look of confidence. He looked at her with immediate ease; he was calm and collected with a placid smile upon his face unlike his easily angered brother. "Hey Izzy" Jace said in a soft expression.

Jace had gleaming white blonde hair that looked crystallised under a permanent white light that shone down from the heavens. He was born with this hair, Isabelle always told him it was a gift from the angels themselves.

Jonathan on the other hand didn't at all admire his little brother's angelic hair, and it definitely wasn't a gift from any angel for two reasons in his opinion.

One; what male wanted shimmering hair that glowed pristine white unless maybe a warlock and resembling a downworlder was nothing but repulsive and a disgrace.

Two; Jace didn't deserve a gift from the angels and not to insult them but if any of them thought he did was as stupid as he looked.

The differences in Jace and Jonathan were endless; there were only three factors they shared.

shared the same father Michael Wayland, he was a harsh authoritative person who raises trains and educates them alone.

share the same passion for killing demons; they train effectively with determination and accuracy. Each wanting to make their father proud, fighting for his attention.

was quite uncommon in most siblings but the pair of them shared the same name Jonathan Christopher. Michael Wayland named each son the same name without the intention of them ever meeting one another as they both had different biological mothers. Jonathan Shadow hunter was the first of their kind making Jonathan a popular name within shadow hunters and extremely important to their father.

When Jonathan was eleven and Jace was ten and the name became an issue, their father instructed them to battle for the name. He explained to them that the name Jonathan comes with great honour as it was the name of the first ever Shadowhunter. The winner of the battle would earn the right to be titled with that name and deserve to keep it. Even as a child Jonathan didn't care how he treated Jace if it meant he earned more respect in the eyes of his father. So with the intention of not wanting to hurt his brother Jace let his brother win the battle and take the name.

His father took attention to what Jace was doing, and he told him that was the difference between his two sons. Jace cared and loved his brother didn't. Even though Jonathan won the battle, Jonathan was allowed to keep the name because Jace didn't deserve it and wouldn't ever be deserving of that title if he didn't learn his affection was wrong.

The youngest Jonathan was nicknamed Jace which is another way of saying J C, Jonathan Christopher.

"Jace your father requests your presence in his study" Isabelle grinned down at him knowing who this would affect Jonathan. Isabelle solidly disagreed with their father Jace should be allowed to show affection weather he was called Jonathan or not.

Jonathan displayed a look of confusion and puzzlement as he glared viciously back and forth from Isabelle and Jace. "It's my day to train with father" Jonathan snapped defensively. "This is why a woman's place is next to a sink, they're useless even at skiving after us"Jonathan leapt to his feet knocking back the chair he was idly sat in with great force. He completely despised having to share his father and he wasn't prepared to it on the day he was supposed to be training with his father without Jace hanging around.

Admittedly he had most of his father's attention when he offered it because his father described him as fit for purpose because of the character trait of lack of compassion which he got from his father was completely only happened when Jace was being punished for slipping up and showing that he cared, allowing emotion to cloud his judgementThis had stopped happening as much recently so if this was his day to train with his father he wasn't going to let Jace ruin it. Jonathan couldn't understand why he even had to share his father's limited attention with Jace. He wasn't fit for purpose he resembled nothing of their father. He always let their Father down and made him angry.

He'd had to lie and scheme to get his father's attention recently. He'd told his father Jace had befriended a mundane after a he'd shoved a red-haired human girl into Jace and she'd knocked scolding coffee over him. Jonathan had taken a picture of the two as they sat down at a table to clean it off. He wasn't letting all this planning go to waste. Besides he liked watching Jace suffer at the hands of him, even if the lie was the worst thing imaginable to his father. Jace deserved it for trying to be the better son and raining on his parade. He should know his place Jonathan thought to himself smugly.

"I'd explain but I don't have time there's a meeting in session and your father doesn't wish to be kept waiting. Your father only requested Jace" Isabelle taunted him, as he clearly felt threatened at the fact Jace had been chosen.

Jace got to his feet closing the book shut, He also was as confused as Jonathan he didn't know why what his father wanted him there was only usually called to his study if he'd done something wrong, and he hadn't of what he could remember. And what did Isabelle mean a meeting? He was never allowed in any of the meetings between his father and his acquaintances. Neither of them was.

"No" Jonathan screeched marching towards Izzy and Jace as they began to walk out of the office together. He grabbed hold of Jace and Jace shoved him off. Just because he showed compassion and wasn't completely dead inside Jace wouldn't; be pushed around by Jonathan. He wasn't weak, he was younger but their strength matched perfectly.

They were also trained and taught the same lessons meaning now they were older their winnings of battles was completely even.

Jace was used to the rejection of his father he'd had enough of it to last him an immortal life time, but Jonathan not so much. He was the favourite and he completely and utterly idolised their also meant Jace was also used to Jonathan acting like a petulant child when Jace was for once the centre of attention.

"Excuse me the presence of a whorish useless woman is needed there also" Isabelle said through gritted teeth pulling Jace further towards the door by the sleeves of his black leather jacket.

"I'm speaking to father" Jonathan screeched, heading out of the door himself and hurrying up the corridor at the thought his father might actually be letting him down. Not that it was a surprise to Jace or Isabelle or anyone else who knew them. Isabelle's mouth curled into a little grin, she knew he'd have a little surprise when he arrived.

"Where's Alec?" Jace quizzed as he and Isabelle walked up the corridors of the manor house. Hers shoes clicked against the floor swiftly as they walked, echoing in rhythm. Her hair swished from side to side, the thick band that held it in place at the back of her head was wrapped in thick strands of her hair.

"Sulking" Isabelle responded sharply. Taking the lead as they walked up the corridor. Something in her tone suggested she wanted Jace to ask why her brother was in a sulk. Jace was used his best friends moodiness, but if you'd just met Alec you could mistake his hurt feelings and over protectiveness as him being a complete arsehole. He wasn't he just didn't respond to things the same as most people, he wouldn't admit it but he takes everything to heart.

"Like usual?" Jace chided

"It's not like usual Jace; He thinks you've been ignoring him. Every time he calls and texts you don't answer"

Jace thought of Alec, Isabelle, and their little brother Max as his own siblings. Their parents treated him like he was their own when he went to stay at the institute with them when his father took Jonathan on business trips. Jace loved being at the institute with the lightwoods, the clave had ordered his father to chose one of his sons to work for the institute because of his involvement of the uprising. Jace didn't even mind when his father said it had to be him because he needed Jonathan for other purposes. Jace always knew he wouldn't ever beat Jonathan and he'd always come last in their family, but being with the Lightwoods reminded him how a family should act. He loved and protected them like they were his own.

When they were fifteen Alec and Jace became parabatai, It was an oath which bound them together with a bond no human could ever have. They had a connection which meant they could fight as one when they were in battle. They could make each other stronger and find and track individuals through their bond. But if the other parabatai was to die then the other would feel their life force leaving them and they'd live with their death.

Jace's father wasn't aware Alec was Jace's parabatai. He wasn't aware he had one at all. His father had warned both him and Jonathan that they weren't allowed to have one because they weren't supposed to trust anyone else but him. The parabatai bond had to be taken in front of the council but they didn't need their parents permission, which was lucky because Jace's father definitely wouldn't give it. Their father didn't share the same belief that it was an honour for a shadow hunter to find a parabatai, and be bonded to them in childhood.

Their father once had a parabatai, Robert Lightwood. Alec's father. Their bond had been estranged after the uprising of Valentine Morgenstern when Robert was exiled it severed their bond making it practically redundant. Their friendship was quite similar, Robert never came to the Wayland Manor only his Wife Maryse and their children came. So not only was the parabatai bond forbidden to Jace and Jonathan, Having a lightwood as one was completely out of the question

Jace had to hide the rune like a teenager hiding their first tattoo.

"My father..." Jace began

"Took your phone? Your stele? Your life?" Isabelle interrupted glancing at Jace and then holding her head up hatred in her tone.

"Don't Isabelle, It's just the way" Jace cut her off, he was grateful of Isabelle's sisterly compassion but Michael Wayland was his father and the way he chose to raise his sons was up to him, his father didn't waste time on compassion so there was no point dwelling on the what if's. Plus he didn't want to tell Izzy it would just upset her and enrage her and she could be pretty impulsive so if she yelled the odds to his father Jace would be in serious shit.

Besides Jace wasn't supposed to talk about his father to anyone else, especially not to the Lightwoods.

"It's not the way. He shouldn't treat you like an animal, Jonathan maybe because he is an animal but not you. You're a person with a heart, compassion and love..."

Jace grabbed her by the arm and stopped her in her tracks.

"And that's the problem. We aren't mundane Iz you know as well as I do there are lessons to be learnt. He needed to teach me a lesson, it's done now. I won't go near a mundane ever again"

"A mundane" Isabelle shrieked a little louder than she'd meant to, Jace clasped his hands around her mouth before she managed to tell the shadow hunters in Idris.

"What did you do with a Mundane, if you start hanging around with humans I swear I'll do worse than your father ever could" Even the thought of Jace talking to a mundane repulsed Izzy she knew her job was to protect them from demons but she didn't have to like them. She hated their dress sense, their stereotypical names for one another, their lack of intelligence and idiocy when they were stood inches from a demon that was about to eat their face. You can't get more plain, stupid and boring than a mundane human. She shuddered at the thought of them.

"I did nothing with a Mundane Jonathan set me up. But if I have a brain transplant in the next few days and decide to completely outrage my father then I'll let him know that you offer your assonating services" Jace stammered, his hand near Izzy's mouth in case she decided to have another screaming fit. He knew Isabelle wasn't just threatening him, he'd known her since they were ten and he knew there was nothing she loathed more than mundane.

"Swear by the angels" Isabelle challenged

"I swear" Jace said placing his hand on his heart.

"Good we better hurry the inquisitor is waiting" Isabelle murmured picking up speed in her high heeled shoes.

The inquisitor shit! Was the only thing Jace could come up with inside of his head? Why hadn't Izzy warned him sooner?


	2. Chapter 2

The inquisitor was not someone that anybody kept waiting, In the hierarchy of the clave and the shadow hunters the inquisitor sat on a throne at the top. She was a hard stony faced woman that harshly enforced the law. She had a stern and intimidating demeanour. Jace couldn't believe he'd kept the Inquisitor waiting, the woman who mixed poisons for a hobby. His father would be furious with him, it's a little like standing the president up. It would not happen.

Jace smoothed out his hair and straightened up his clothes in the reflection of a window in the room next his father's study. Isabelle waited for him impatiently outside the door motioning him to hurry up. Isabelle knocked load and clearly she cleared her throat and fussed at her dress. "Enter" An old stern voice called from the other side.

It wasn't what Jace was used to. For a start it was a little feminine it could have been mistaken as a male's voice but certainly not his fathers. His father never shouted, he always kept his voice low in the same commanding tone, which was somewhat scarier Jace thought. His father didn't usually grant entry straight away either. If Michael's sons were called to the study he made them wait outside for as long as he wanted or needed.

A guard from the inside of the door opened it slowly revealing two nervous looking teenagers on the other side. It was like being called to the principal's office on your last warning for a mundane. Jace and Izzy stared at the room inside.

It looked like his father's study, it smelt the same, it felt the same but it was completely different. Maryse and Alec lightwood sat the table there hands on their laps and seriousness in their faces.

His father had been demoted to the chair in the corner of the room, the one Jace sat in as his father reeled off the list of reasons why he was useless, undeserving of a father like him and many ways his father would make him change into the son he needed.

Jace smiled on the inside at the sight of this.

Jonathan stood nervously by his side, shade glinting in his eyes.

Jace couldn't imagine Jonathans egotistical nurture allowed him to stop for a second and realise what was happening before he barged into the room demanding his father's attention. Something the inquisitor would of been appalled at. Her first and key rule was that children always obeyed their parents, showing them gratitude and respect under all circumstances. Something his father strongly believed in also.

A woman with a pale, dull almost colourless blondish white hair sat in the chair of Jace's father. Her grey eyes stared above Jace and Isabelle notifying them she was of great power and was not obliged to look them in the eyes especially when taken her precious important time.

She was dressed in a suit and a long grey cape; it was of an older time in the shadow hunting world. Jace could remember his father showing him and Jonathan one of his grandfathers.

"I profusely apologise for my son's poor punctuality, I've reminded him on countless occastions that you don't keep authority waiting" Jace's father spoke, He sounded like Jace when his father asked him to explain his actions.

His words finally breaking the irritable awkward silence of Jace and Isabelle's late arrival. It couldn't have been that late surely a few seconds if anything. He wasn't lying his father did always warn him about keeping him waiting. He didn't have much time and he hated it being wasted.

"The boy has a tongue in his head does he not?" The Inquisitor chided staring down at her nails, ignoring that she had six nervous people in her presence. She hadn't even bothered to see what 'the boy' looked like.

"Of course" Michael responded bowing his head and glaring across at his second born child. Jace shifted awkwardly on his feet.

"What about your daughter Maryse. Judging by the shrieking I've just heard she has a voice box?" The inquisitor continued ignoring Michael's mark of respect to her.

"Yes Inquisitor" Maryse said affirmatively.

"Then why aren't I receiving an apology, If they possess the great power of speech, and they were raised to respect the hierarchy" The inquisitor challenged harshness grew in her voice like ice. Cracking and soldering as she spoke. Who knew the inquisitor liked to use sarcasm?

Jace always believed you earned respect, the inquisitor hadn't even bothered to look at them the whole time they'd been stood there. That's equally as disrespectful as what they had done. But of course that didn't matter because of her status. Jace wasn't going to argue with her though, she orders people to be put in jail in the silent city for what they had just done he was lucky she was only requesting an apology.

"Apologies Madam Inquisitor" Jace and Izzy said in unison like they were singing in chorus. They both glanced at each other quickly as they spoke not realising they were both going at the same time.

Jonathan stared over at them; Jace knew exactly what he was thinking. Isabelle should have spoke after him because she was a female. If the Inquisitor ever heard him speak about women the way he did she'd strip him of his runes and exile him for having such vulgar views on gender.

"Michael you may have a moment with your sons. I know I only requested the second born but I wish for the other to take presence also. After you remind them both about their manors in the presence of authority"

"Yes Madam Inquisitor, as you wish"

Chapter two

Jace waited for his father and brother to join him outside of the study. He stood up straight his arms by his side, His father looked at him in disgust as he charged out of the room with his hand on the back of Jonathan's neck.

The door to the study closed behind them letting out an echo in the hallway. Michael walked past Jace grabbing his arm and violently yanking him with them as he stalked down the corridor. He pulled Jace off his balance and practically dragged him with them into the room next door.

He let them both go and shoved them through the door at the same time before he slammed it closed and looked down at his sons who had hit the floor where he'd pushed them.

Even Jonathan knew what had just happened should never have happened especially not in the eyes of the Inquisitor.

Jace hit the deck first his face bonded of the wooden floor, pain shot through his jaw line and his bottom lip instantly bled. Jonathan landed on top of him once again Jace cushioned his fall. Their legs were tangled together and Jonathan sat up taking no notice he was crushing his brother.

Jace shoved Jonathan off him freeing his feet and getting to them immediately. Jonathan trailed slowly behind him, giving Jace an evil glance as he steadied himself on his feet.

Have you ever waved a red flag at a bull to infuriate it purposely? No? I mean why would you It would only infuriate it and give it a reason to charge at you. This was a similar situation.

"Father..." Jonathan began to speak; he quickly shut his mouth when he saw the look in his father's eyes that shot across at him as soon as his mouth opened. Jace had seen that face thousands of times it never ended well.

But Jace knew not to speak first before his father. It just infuriated him even more.

"What in the name of the angels was that!?" Michael exclaimed looking from one of his sons to the other. Jace looked at him apologetically, his hands by his sides and his feet together. About to accept the blame for his actions

Jonathan just scowled at him, arms folded, feet apart, shoulders relaxed. This was how his father spoke to Jace not him. And besides this wasn't his fault it was Isabelle's for winding him up. Stupid girl.

Jace was to blame for his mistakes he wasn't, that surely meant his father would excuse him and deal with Jace he thought. Jonathan would also throw in the mundane card in if he felt the needed to. He would train alone with his father today if it meant getting Jace in as much trouble as he could.

Michael wasn't expecting an answer to his question, it was rhetorical. He glared at the pair of them noticing how differently they were stood. For once Jace wasn't in the wrong he was showing his father respect. He knew how to handle these situations very well.

Jonathan on the other hand took the stance of a moody teenager, looking at his father like something on the bottom of his shoe. Sulking like a child.

"I taught you at the age of five how to behave around authority, and you've known ever since you were able to speak that you don't speak unless you are spoken to" Michael began; he closed the gap between himself and his sons. Jace and Jonathan both had the urge to back away.

"And you most definitely know that I call the shots in this family and not one of you is to ever demand things from me" He said this last part in a cool ice tone through the grit of his teeth . His hands shot towards his sons like a python attacking its prey. He grabbed them both by the collar of their shirts.

His eyes glowed with a nasty vicious anger as he looked towards Jonathan when he said this.

Michael yanked Jace towards him their noses nearly touching, fierce glare in his eye "Explain yourself boy" He ordered.

Jace caught notion of his shirt lifting, his parabatai rune was just above his hip. He needed to get his self out of this and quickly..

"I lost the track of time, I wasn't under the impression of emergency I apologise father" Jace responded, in a tone that suggested he was to blame and he was sorry. Accepting responsibility for his actions was the only way Jace knew of that could get him away from his father's grip.

"You better prey to the angels the inquisitor likes you and chooses you to do this because you seriously don't want to stay around after she leaves. If she doesn't throw you in a cell I will"

Michael let go of Jace

"Yes father" Jace responded with a nod which was considered a mark of respect. Michael stared at his second born for a while, at his blue eyes and his angelic hair. That was easily Michael's favourite thing about him. He always looked so innocent like he could never do any harm. But Jace just always had to infuriate him, and as their father it was his way to teach his sons, it was just the way.

He wished Jace could be more like Jonathan, not the pathetic little child Jonathan he was currently looking at. But the Jonathan he was used to the warrior he had created within him, the evil he'd made him be. But it had to be this way because Jonathan could be controlled by praise and attention. Jace only responded to pain.

He looked away quickly, hoping his sons didn't notice in case they misinterpreted it for affection. It was fine, Jace was messing with his shirt and Jonathan was wrapped up in his own thoughts on what his father meant by choosing Jace.

No one ever chose his brother, as a last resort and they were forced to use him then maybe, but no one decided to chose Jace. He wasn't worthy of anyone's consideration especially not their fathers. The inquisitor was female her poor lack in judgement was evident from that. He thought.

How dare Jace come in and start acting like the golden boy all of a sudden. Had his father forgotten he'd been 'seen' with a mundane? This time yesterday his father wouldn't even look Jace in the eyes for 'befriending' the mundane. Even last night their father wouldn't let Jace eat at the same table as them. And that was the nicest way he'd treated him ever since Jonathan had shown his father and his scheme had worked.

What has happened from then until now to make Jace look like the high angel and Jonathan as bad as Jace really is?

Jonathan agreed with his father the inquisitor better chose Jace for whatever she needed him for or else Jonathan would have to put Jace back in his place once and for all, and a jail cell wouldn't quite cover it.

"I'll deal with you later, we can't keep Madam Inquisitor waiting any longer" Their father said waving a finger towards his first born.

"Is that it, after everything he's done recently?" Jonathan challenged his father rocking back on his heels and clenching his fists.

Michael ignored his son, Jonathan got away with a lot more than Jace did, but this was the only way he could protect Jace, and keep him alive until he was of use to him. He wouldn't win any awards for the best father but treating Jace like vermin and Jonathan like royalty and making Jonathan feel more important to him wasn't always to punish Jace. Admittedly it was most of the time but not always.

Michael knew what his son was capable of he'd designed him that way, Jonathan depended on his father's need for him because primarily that's the only reason he was created this way. Jace could handle himself of course he'd trained him he was one of the best shadow hunters of his generation but Jonathan was sickeningly evil more so than you could ever imagine. Michael knew he would kill his own brother if he was pushed to do so. He'd tried once, Michael remembered it as clear as day.

 _Jace's eleventh birthday_

 _Jace Wayland sat in the guest living room. Surrounded by Isabelle, Alec and a crawling Maxwell Lightwood. Maryse Lightwood had come round to give Jace his present from them and to inform Michael the clave need his decision on which son he was going to put forward to work for the Institute._

 _Jonathan was walking past the study as Maryse Lightwood said "Come on Michael you have to chose which son"_

 _Michael had responded with "It'll have to be Jace, I chose Jace"_

 _Jonathan hurried away angrily thinking his father only wanted Jace._

" _What did you get?" A young Isabelle asked eagerly her hair was arranged in two French plaits and tied off with little purple bows that matched her purple dress._

" _A new blade" Jace responded a smile on his face. He'd used a seraph blade in training but he didn't have one of his own yet. Jonathan couldn't tease him about it any longer._

" _Yeah!?" Alec said exasperated, He and his best friend now had their own seraph blades._

 _Jonathan entered the room swiftly after hearing what his father had just said. Maryse and Michael walked slowly behind._

" _It was my grandfathers, Father said he'd train with me later" Jace told his friends._

 _Jonathan snatched the blade from its box on the table and waded quickly towards an eleven year old Jace._

" _Jonathan" Michael called after his son questioningly not knowing what he was doing waving around a blade._

" _Yes of course he will be, because he only wants you" Jonathan snapped angrily at his little brother. Alec and Isabelle got to their feet immediately, crowding their friend. Jace rose slowly behind them. Jonathan held the blade to Alec staring down at him warning to move. "No" Jace snapped shoving Alec to the ground and away from the blade._

 _Jonathan pushed Isabelle away , and held the blade to his throat. "Jonathan put that down" Michael ordered, His son looked back at him with unruly eyes, unnerving and black. Jonathan leant over his brother and slashed down at him. Ignoring his father's commands. Isabelle let out a scream as the blade hit Jace and cut into him. Alec stared unable to move, Maryse had picked up Max and was edging close to Isabelle and Alec hoping they wouldn't run over and put themselves in danger. Alec went to walk forward to protect his friend like he'd protected him, Maryse grabbed him by the arm reaching them in time pulling him back._

 _Michael Wayland ran towards them when Jonathan held the blade back up and it was covered in scarlet red blood._

" _He's my father and I won't let him chose you over me" Jonathan shouted, his voice cracked as he did so._

" _What are you talking about? You're crazy" Jace yelled back wincing in pain; blood ran down his white shirt where Jonathan has caught him with the blade and cut him, two inches above his collar bone and two inches below on the right side._

" _I'm not, you can't get rid of me" Jonathan shrieked, putting the blade back down close to Jace's heart._

 _Michael got close to Jonathan putting his hand on his shoulder, he knew he'd made his son evil but seeing your twelve year old son trying to murder his little brother wasn't exactly something he thought he'd see._

" _Stop. Get back. Tell him, Tell him that you chose him when she said you can only have one son" Jonathan snapped angrily snarling like an angry dog._

 _Jace groaned from the pain, he was used to Jonathans fist in his face but he hadn't put a blade to his neck outside of training before._

" _You've got it wrong Jonathan. Yes I chose Jace, he's going to live with the Lightwoods at the institute for a while, the clave want him to work for the institute" Michael stammered, he was struck by what had just happened maybe sending Jace away was for the best he thought._

"Father" Jonathan yelled abruptly forcing Michael out of his memory he looked at his two sons. He turned to look at Jace, he could see a bit of the scar Jonathan had left just above the collar of his shirt. It was two deep for the healing rune to completely heal it.

The scar was quite thick, Jace always kept it covered he didn't like anyone asking about it. If he knew it was visible he'd cover it immediately.

Jonathan doesn't like people asking or looking at it either, they didn't understand why he had to do it. They looked at him like he was insane, maybe he was because the fact that he'd permanently left his mark on his brother pleased him.

The only good thing to come out of it was Jace never let Jonathan lay a finger on him again. If Jonathan hit Jace, Jace hit him back without hesitation.

It changed Jace it made him stronger which was what his father wanted for him but he still wasn't too sure he'd be able to kill his brother if it came down to it.

"Take that off boy, you can't greet the Inquisitor dressed the same way you'd dress to kill demons. It's insulting" Their father ordered. Realising he'd lost himself and snapping back into reality. Jace hastily took off his leather jacket, his father yanked it out of his arms and threw it at an old dusty chair in the unused room.

Jonathan stared at them both he couldn't quite believe what he'd seen, his father had only threatened Jace for what he'd done. His father wouldn't let either of them get away with embarrassing him in front of authority, there was no way he'd let Jace off for this.

Michael placed his hand firmly behind Jace's neck forcing him to look at him so he understood he was being deadly serious. "You do as she says, you show her the upmost respect, you don't speak unless you are spoken to, and you answer every question. Show her I did bring you up with manors, Come on I have some urgent business to attend to afterwards"

Before Michael could lower his hand from Jace's neck a fist connected to Jace's face forcefully knocking them both off their balance a little.

Michaels hand was lowered when they both were shoved to the left from the force of the punch. Jace looked up at his father as he looked back around his nose poured with blood. It wasn't that Jace was surprised he just didn't even see Michael move his fist,

He hadn't actually done anything this time ether, he certainly didn't role his eyes he barely got the chance to blink after he'd finished speaking. His father stared back at him with equal expression of confusion. It wasn't him.

They both turned and looked at Jonathan who looked at the both smugly with crossed arms. "What the hell was that for?" Jace yelled angrily, holding his hand under his nose to stop the blood from getting onto his shirt.

"You know why" Jonathan spoke calmly

"I didn't do anything you maniac"

Jace lunged towards his brother, he couldn't get away with that, Jace hadn't done anything and even if he had one punch means one retaliating punch that was a fact.

Michael intercepted them hauling Jace back to where he was originally stood, he'd usually encourage Jace to defend himself he'd actually punish him if he didn't but now wasn't the time or the place. They'd already infuriated the inquisitor enough.

"I knew you'd ruin it for me. You ruin everything"

"There's something mentally wrong with you" Jace chided, he calmed down, preparing to let it go and obey his father.

"Your mother will be turning in her grave when she sees what kind of son she has. No wonder she committed suicide she got a lucky escape if you ask me" Jonathan shrieked in complete malice at his brother.

No matter what they thought about each other Jace and Jonathan never mentioned their mothers. They certainly didn't use their names to hurt the other. It was an agreement that they had, even if they hadn't spoken the agreement. They just both knew it was something they never did.

Neither of them knew their mother's, their father told them once at the same time Jonathans mother had disappeared and Jace's mother committed suicide. When their father had told them, he instructed they never mentioned or brought up their mothers to him or to anyone else again.

Jace fought nastily against his father to get to Jonathan. He didn't care what his father did to him for disobeying him; he would not let Jonathan get away with that. Never.

Michael knew it didn't matter what he said to Jace now he wouldn't stop until he made Jonathan pay for that. "Wait outside" Michael barked at Jonathan. He knew he couldn't let Jonathan get away with his actions especially not after what had just happened. He would have brutally murdered Jace if it had been him ten times over.

Emotions were clouding his judgement but they were hatred and anger, a reaction like this was everything his father ever wanted from Jace. He really ought to thank Jonathan for showing him what it would take for him to break Jace into the son he's always wanted him to be. It would mean torturing his son with his own dead mothers memory but I had to be done it was just the way. Michael had waited years for this, he'd never seen Jace act so wild, vicious and out of control. He might make the perfect warrior out of him yet.

Right now he had to control Jace and sort him out before he saw the Inquisitor, he'd have to use his dead mother for that also. Michael had never been so pleased that Jace's mother had made her own timely demise.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three.

Michael managed to calm Jace, telling him he had to do this, he had to do this for the inquisitor it would make his mother proud of him. Jace wasn't a child he couldn't be patronised, he knew he wasn't doing this for his mother. He just didn't want to speak about her any longer, she'd killed herself whilst he was in her womb. She intended to end both of their lives.

That's all he knew about her, he didn't even know her name.

Michael collected both of his sons; they didn't look at each other not even once. He walked them back into the study. He'd made them both this way, Michael was at fault to making Jonathan so evil and twisted and for making Jace react to him.

They entered their fathers study, It appeared like they'd never left. The only difference was Isabelle was sat next the Alec. Everyone apart from the Inquisitor stared up at them when they heard the door open and close.

Jace had forgotten Alec was there, he smiled at his best friend, Alec repaid him with a concerned look. Jace narrowed his eyes, he wasn't sure why he was looking at him like that. It couldn't still be about Jace not answering hi m. Isabelle looked at him shaking her head with a look of 'I told you so'

His father took notice of their strange looks, and looked at his son. He pushed his face towards him, Jace tried to pull away he didn't have a clue why everyone was looking at him. His father lifted his hand to his face and wiped the blood from his face quickly, letting go of his face and placing his hand back down to his side immediately when Madame Inquisitor finally sat up and took notice.

She clamped her thin lips together surveying her audience, her hair that was pulled back into a bun on the top of her head made her hard expression seem so much more serious.

Jace had never been formally introduced to her before; he'd never spoken to her before today. You could hardly make a conversation with the Inquisitor; she had a lot of power. The first time he'd ever seen her was at a banquet in Idris he'd attended with the Lightwoods.

She'd pulled him away from Alec and Izzy and ordered him to tie her shoelaces. A then twelve year old Jace obliged, he feared her then as much as he feared her now.

There was stories all over the Institute and Alicante about the things that she did. She hated teenagers and she sent them to prison in the silent city if she really disliked them. Jace didn't exactly fancy spending the night in a cell next to a mass murder if he could help it.

So other than "Child, You boy tie my shoes" and the apology he'd made to her earlier they'd never exchanged speech and the most certainly hadn't ever had eye contact. She'd never looked at him before. Jace could only imagine it was because of her power she didn't believe in needing to look at the people beneath her.

"I take it we all managed to arrive this time" She barked she sat in a way you'd expect a queen to present herself. She sat up straight her shoulders squared, her arms resting against the chair with her hands perfectly still. She stared down at them all like they were creatures.

She hated Jace's father and the lightwoods, she blamed them for the death of her son it was something to do with the uprising of valentine and the ex circle members. If it was up to her she'd have them banished and imprisoned, their children to. But it was of the decision of the clave that they allowed the Lightwoods and the Waylands to repent their actions. The Inquisitor didn't mind as much if they had to grovel their way back into acceptance in the society. That had long been forgotten but the Inquisitor didn't treat it so.

Jace hadn't got a chance, he'd be spending a night a cell whether it was her choice or his fathers. He knew it.

For the first time in his lifetime the inquisitor glanced down at Jace, she went to look at Jonathan and then looked back at him. Her eyes fixed on him, and she scowled. Shit he was screwed Jace thought instantly. That seriously wasn't the way you looked at someone even if you were remotely appeased with them. Jace was terrified; his heart pounded loudly thumping against his rib cage. The tension was unbearable. Even Izzy and Alec looked extremely worried, and Jace trusted Alec's judgement better than anyone else's

Maryse wouldn't meet his eyes, she was very fond of Jace, She was extremely grateful for him protecting her children, she knew he'd saved their lives thousands of times. She hated the way his father treated him but she knew without the training his father had given him she would have had to bury both of her children by now.

That's why she treated him like her own son when he stayed with them. She wouldn't have a clue what she'd do if the Inquisitor discarded him like his father did and prevented him from staying with them. Isabelle and Alec were good Shadow hunters but she didn't trust them doing it alone without Jace. She knew he'd give his life for her children, even her and her husband. She couldn't meet his eyes and tell him he was as screwed as he felt. She couldn't bring herself to do it.

"Child sit" The Inquisitor ordered pointing a long bony finger at a chair a few paces away from where Jace stood with his father and brother.

Jace looked up at his father and his father nodded for him to do as she said. "The first born" The inquisitor snapped seeing the negotiation Jace and his father had exchanged. Jonathan smirked at Jace shoving into him as he walked past. He took the chair. "Wayland bring that boy to me" She demanded of Jace's father like he was an object that could be passed around.

The pronounced 'me' like he was a possession of hers like she owned him in every sense of the word, Jace had enough of this from his father. Jace froze, you weren't allowed within a mile of this woman she had four guards by her side, Jesus Christ. They were wearing complete armour and they held two swords across their chests. This woman was not only insane she was also probably about to have her guards kill him or something.

As if he was about to be slaughtered and he'd let Jonathan punch him without getting his own back.

His father had to practically force him to walk closer towards her, he was shoving him forward in the most unnoticeable way he possibly could. "Walk" He whispered, his teeth gritted. If Jace was about to die he'd like to think he walked to his death and wasn't forced to it by his father.

The likely hood was she wasn't going to execute him, he'd done nothing wrong. But his brain couldn't rationalise anything. Maybe it was because he'd lost one of the institutes blades and they thought he'd stolen it, maybe he'd killed a mundane instead of a demon accidentally and blocked it out of his memory.

The mundane! Jace thought, he knew Jonathan would be the course of his death. Could a Shadow Hunter be killed for fraternising with a Mundane? There job was to protect them so he couldn't see why. Maybe it was a new law, or maybe the Inquisitor didn't like red heads or Jace.

"Closer" The inquisitor warned, dragging Jace out his head. He hadn't realised he was as close to her as he was. He hadn't been paying attention he was too busy cursing Jonathan and the red-haired mundane girl. Not only did she scold him with coffee she was also about to be the reason why he got stabbed with eight swords in front of his friends and family. He'd be sure to haunt her when he was dead.

Jace was now in arms reach of her and was surrounded by the guards with their scarily pointy defence objects, His father still stood behind him like he was stopping his from escaping. She grabbed Jace by the collar of his shirt, she was probably one of them psychopaths who liked to study their victims and look them in the eyes as their life bled out of them. What was it with everyone who disliked him grabbing him the collar or his face, wasn't he allowed to decide for himself where to look.

She looked him up and down through narrowed eyes, she stared at every facial feature he had slowly, like she was analysing how to ruin his face and how many punches it would take.

Jace instantly regrets moaning about the inquisitor thinking she was to powerful to even look at him. Tying her shoe laces was enough contact with her to last him the rest of his life.

He could feel everyone staring at them, the apprehensiveness in the air unnerved him no one knew what the inquisitor was going to do next. She grabs him by his recently bruised Jaw line; he winced as she latched her fingers onto it digging her extremely long nails into his face. Jace wasn't sure if she'd meant to because she seemed transfixed by him, even when he'd shuddered in pain she didn't even seem to notice.

A prison cell didn't sound too horrible at this moment, as long as it was padlocked shut and the inquisitor was on the other side.

She shoved his head down, running her fingers through his hair, she admired it strand by strand running its silkiness through her fingers, she stared down at its shimmering glow. Jace had encountered woman asking if they could touch his hair, even mundane girls had asked a few time. He didn't exactly hate the idea it was weird and girls liked it. But they asked if they could touch it and not forced him into it and they weren't as old as the inquisitor. A few forty year olds maybe, but no one ever above that age. Jace felt extremely creeped out right now.

"Was the boy born with hair like this?" The inquisitor asks quietly, pain twanged in her voice as she asked the question, Jace was utterly confused, his hair had never upset someone before. Was she was going to kill him because his hair resembles angelic innocence, maybe dying it would be a better option, even though he couldn't imagine it being any different. He squirmed at the thought of himself with brown hair.

Maybe he didn't deserve it because he didn't exactly represent the angels the way he maybe should, but he tried.

"Yes" Michael Wayland said assertively putting his hand on his sons shoulder.

Today was full of surprises, some strange and unwanted surprises at that. Jace woke this morning thinking he'd be spending all of his day in the library studying what his father had assigned for him, and training alone in the evening listening to his father and Jonathan train together. Instead it was full of Lightwoods, Inquisitors, fathers embrace, Jonathan's jealousy, face grabbing and hair feeling. On top of that his life could possibly be over for a reason he hadn't quite worked out yet.

The biggest surprises were happening right now, it was too much for Jace, he really wanted it to end. I mean his father was actually pretending to care for his and the inquisitor had her claws held on to his face and riffling through his hair.

"I had hair like this... my son; my boy had hair like..." The inquisitor mumbles to herself before trailing off and looking into his eyes again.

Jace really wished he could see Alec, he needed to see what his face was like he needed a judgement he could trust because this was all insane to Jace. Alec was a rational guy he knew what was insane and what passed as just mildly strange.

"You remind me of him, you remind me of Stephen" The Inquisitor said a little loudly and boldly like she was assuring herself that Jace reminded her of Stephen.

Stephen was her son Stephen Herondale had once been a friend of his fathers.

Jace had heard he'd been known for his charm and good looks and was hard to hate according to his father, so he supposed the Inquisitor was paying him a complement.

The inquisitor snapped out of her gaze, the stern look returned to her face, she remembered where she was and who she was with she wouldn't let her guard slip in front of these people. She shoved the boy forcefully away from her.

Jace nearly trips over his father, who he apologises to without it being his fault but it was his turn to stare. Her eyes had projected sadness and her face looked like she was in pain. The memory of her son had upset her. She was evidentially not as emotionless and hard faced as everyone liked to make out.

"Shall we discuss the matter in hand?" Michael declared clearing his throat and interrupting the awkward silence that surveyed the room. The Inquisitor would usually be annoyed at his interruption, but in this circumstance she looked immediately grateful.

The look of despair she'd recently projected and the act of craziness she'd just subjected Jace too seemed long gone. The fire breathing angry stony faced dragon that despised everyone and everything had returned to its perch. She'd completely blocked it put of her mind, she didn't usually show emotion in front of anyone. It was that Wayland boy.

It was like a switch had been flicked between her two personalities the grieving widow and the life destroyer. It was scary how quickly her mood changed. Jae didn't fear the dragon side of her as much this time around. After all she too was half angel and half human.

Wasn't she?

"The Red head" Her voice grinded in Jace's mind.

Maybe not.

Shit, it always came back to mundane's. After everything they did risking their lives to slay demons to protect them. Did they realise the amount of sleep they lost and this was the thanks they got. Maybe Isabelle had a point to despise them as much as she did; Jace shook his head in thought.

"Is it correct you are friends with this girl Jace Wayland?" She said accusingly, she pronounced 'Wayland' with complete distaste in her tone.

Why did she ask him a question when she was accusing him of what she was asking? If he answered with a no was she really going to believe him? The inquisitor holds up a CCTV footage photograph of the girl and him in two of her claws. Of course she wasn't she had 'evidence' to suggest that he had. Admittedly he'd met the mundane but he wouldn't say they were exactly best friends. Jace stared at the picture; there was no point in denying anything their faces were both clearly evident, they wouldn't believe him no matter what he said.

 _The sun was scorching down on the streets of New York City, It sat lazily in a pale blue cloudless sky, like it was no effort to torch the city with its blaze. The heat of the sun didn't bother Jace Wayland as he turned into 68 street just past the hunter college. He was dressed from head to toe in black just like Jonathan and Alec who were trailing behind him. They always wore black it was just the colour when you were slaughtering demons. Even on their day off, but there was always that saying about 'Shadowhunters looking better in black than the widows of their enemies since 1234' so who were they to change up the dress code even if it was their day off and scorching hot._

 _It wasn't exactly the day Jace had had in mind, he was supposed to be going to see a band with Alec and Izzy but his father had put him in charge of babysitting his older brother. The only person who was happy with this arrangement was Izzy, she didn't have to stand in a place that was crawling with mundane for three hours pretending she was having a good time, listening to a band she could barely stand._

 _Jace would rather that than this, but he didn't exactly have the choice Jonathan didn't leave the Wayland manor that regularly and if he did it was only to attend business with his father in Idris. So Jace had to teach him how to act around Mundanes. He despised them and Jonathan wasn't the easiest going guy you could meet, so they were very much in danger of Jonathan holding a blade to a mundane's neck if they were rude to him. Something Jace very much wanted to avoid._

 _So far it wasn't going too terribly, He'd given nearly everyone a death stare and he'd threatened a fourteen year old child for bumping into him. Jace had managed to smooth out any confrontations to why his 'Goth looking, creepy, weirdo, death loving psychotic' brother had caused. As one woman had described him, Jace couldn't agree with her more but he could only apologise to her._

 _The worst thing about not being able to use the invisibility rune in a public place was, nearly every single Mundane adult that was a parent stared at him. He and Alec were possibly the only sixteen year olds they'd seen in New York that were covered in tattoo looking runes. He supposed Jonathan looked like an eighteen year old at a push so he could get away with it easier. 'Aren't you too young to have tattoo's?" "You'll regret that when you're older ""What do your parents think about them" were probably the only thing mundane's ever said to him. He couldn't exactly tell them they were magical runes and he'd gotten his first one when he was seven._

" _Yes Simon, I've picked the coffee's up I'm on my way over. If my mum calls don't answer she's acting all weird" Jace heard a red haired mundane say, she had her phone pressed to her ear and was battling a crowd of people as she came out of Java Jones coffee shop._

" _Jace get the coffee, I've left my wallet at the... at home" Alec called from a few paces behind him. Just about remembering where he was and who he was surrounded by._

 _An institute to a human was a place they sent insane people who couldn't function in society. Exactly where Jonathan should be._

" _Yeah Jace be a good little bitch and do as your little girlfriend says" Jonathan smirked, Jace whirled around where he stood and glared at him._

" _What you're a bigger bitch than his sister" Jonathan joked which he didn't do very often_

" _Don't speak about Isabelle like that"_

 _Alec forcefully shoved Jonathan backwards; the red haired girl caught his arm before he tripped._

" _Let go of me Mundane" Jonathan snapped shoving the girl away from him. Who did she think she was, he didn't need saving by a Mundane, he didn't need saving by a female mundane. He shuddered at the thought of her stench being all over him._

 _Before Jace had the chance to blink he got a face full of red hair, before falling to the ground with a complete stranger. He padded her fall as fell onto him. The coffee's she was holding were currently all over Jace seeping through his shirt and really burning his skin._

 _The girl got to her feet immediately as people passing by and the audience sat at the tables outside the coffee shop stared at them laughing a little._

" _Are you okay miss?" A man asked bending down to pick up her belongings and putting them back into her bag. Jace picked his own things up and got to his feet. Burning and smelling of two cups of black coffee._

" _You should keep that boy on a leash" She remarked angrily, her cheeks were nearly as red as her hair in embarrassment. She took her things from the man who had helped pick them up and thanked him quietly._

" _No apology for scolding me then no?" Jace asked, peeling off his jacket. He would have been laughing if he wasn't trying to hide how much it was actually hurting him._

" _You know what I'm having a really bad day so... Oh god, I'm sorry I didn't realise. Come over here I'll clean it off" She stopped mid sentence of the beginning of an angry rant about not needing Jace's comments and then realised what he'd said and completely changed tone and mood._

 _The girl guided him to a table in the corner, and took some napkins from another table. Alec ran inside the coffee shop to ask for a towel._

" _Some girls like to theoretically fall for guys and some girls like to do it quite literally. I mean both is fine if you aren't carrying coffee that feels like it was made in the middle of the earth" Jace began also taking a napkin and dabbing at his shirt._

" _I was pushed" The girl retaliated, taking her hands away from Jace's shirt and slouching back in the metal hair. She was sounding more and more like Isabelle as she spoke. Even though Izzy would have probably punched him for that comment._

" _And clearly not ready to joke about it yet" Jace said taken back by her reaction and frowning._

 _She stared at him, her green eyes were a bright green and made her look so innocent. Her phone rang again and she looked away. "Simon I'll be... Oh mom, not right now okay" The girl hung up the phone after her rushed response._

" _Mummy issues?" Jace quizzed_

" _Like you wouldn't believe, trust me"_

" _Trust you I don't even know your name"_

" _It's Clary"_

 _Jace stood up putting the napkin on the table and putting his leather jacket back on. Alec had returned from the shop and Jonathan was skulking behind them._

" _Wait, aren't you going to tell me your name?" Clary asked, as Jace joined Alec and they went to walk away._

" _Not likely, you're a stranger. If you listened to your mother when she tried to call you she might have mentioned you aren't supposed to talk to strangers, Clary" Jace spoke in a joking tone as they walked down the pathway._

" _Come on Jace" Alec said loudly, the girl was sure to hear him._

 _Clary stared after him, who the hell was that guy._

"Wayland" The inquisitor called, Jace lifted his head he was completely lost the memory and completely forgot to respond to her question. The whole room was in complete silence and staring at him and Jace couldn't even remember the question.

Shit what did she say? Jace racked his brain Oh yeah, befriending the mundane girl.

"Oh sorry. Yes well I mean no we've met briefly, but we aren't friends. She's a mundane" Jace stuttered, he wasn't going to dismiss that he'd met the girl but he wasn't going to admit they were friends. They weren't.

The Inquisitor pouted a little, she sat back and lifted her index finger up to her lip. She tapped it a couple of times like she was thinking, maybe she was trying to decide if Jace was lying.

Jace was only just noticed her long nails were painted a deep red, like a scarlet blood.

"What did this girl say when you met... briefly"

"She was pretty angry at me at everyone really, she said something about a bad day and her mother acting crazy and that her name was Clary?" Jace replied thinking back the memory again to recall what had happened he didn't see why any of this was relevant, he'd never see her again why was everyone so interested in her all of a sudden?

"Clary. Short for Clarissa" The inquisitor informed, her voice was dark.

"Clarissa Fray isn't any normal mundane" She continued

"You mean she's..." Jonathan interrupted

"A shadow hunter, yes. I'm surprised you all missed it"

"She's definitely mundane, she looked, acted and smelt like one" Alec called up from the corner of the room in a low growl like he was defending their sensory skills. His mother glared at him in a morning of silence.

"Her mother brought her up in the mundane world, to protect her from the circle, It's not been Fairchild's best decision. The day you met her, her mother had told her" The Inquisitor snapped.

Fairchild, Jace remembers that name. Jocelyn Fairchild. His father had made him learn Shadowhunters history. She'd been married to Valentine Morgenstern they circles leader.

"Why did she need protecting from the circle?" Isabelle interjected on the edge of her seat. All the circle stuff creeped Izzy out she wouldn't admit it but demonic Shadowhunters involved in a blood bath with downworlders and their own kind isn't something she'd like to think about.

"She's Jocelyn Fairchild and Valentine Morgenstern's daughter" Jace mumbled just outside of his head before the Inquisitor had time to answer. He hadn't meant to say it out loud but you know when you realise something and you just accidentally speak it instead of thinking it because you so amazed at it. It was like that.

"Correct second born" The Inquisitor looked down at his confused and a little took back that the boy new so much.

"Well to the point, Jocelyn Fairchild has come to the Clave to ask for protection for herself and her daughter. As they are shadow hunters we are obliged to accept. We also need to protect the shadow hunter world she puts us and the downworlders at risk to the circle. The Clave would also like to meet her she is Valentines daughter after all who knows what she's capable of with a sword in her hands. That's why we're entrusting this to you Jace Wayland. Alexander and Isabelle will help you" She explained sounding extremely monotone, until the last part when she mentioned Jace's name. Jace fought demons, argued with his brother and went against his father. He didn't protect girls, fight ex circle members and deal with Mundane turned shadow hunter issues.

"What would I need to do?" Jace questioned, it was all her could say he couldn't really take it in. He wasn't going to be no body guard; he definitely wasn't going to hold her shopping either. This was the kind of stuff boyfriends did.

There's an idea tell her to get a boyfriend. Maybe she already had one she was pretty interested in talking to that Simon fellla. And Jace was pretty sure Izzy would not be happy about this, she wasn't technically mundane by blood but it didn't mean she didn't act like one. Isn't that even worse a shadow hunter pretending to be a mundane?

"You'll have to protect her. We have rooms for them both at the institute but Jocelyn is adamant she won't come until her daughters ready. So your job is to convince her of that, when she's accepted who she is you teach her our ways. The clave wish to meet her as soon as possible. So where she goes you go, I don't care if she runs away and flies to Italy, gets arrested, or gets abducted by aliens, you don't leave her side until she's in the institute. Alexander and Isabelle can leave her. You cannot. Do I make myself clear Wayland?" She ordered. She got to her feet and straightened out her suit, her guards turned around still bearing their swords, which were luckily learn of Jace's blood.

"Perfectly, but where do I find her?" Jace asked as he backed away and she began to descend across the room.

"That ceases to be the question doesn't it. The girl hasn't returned home since the day you saw her. You'll have to find her" The Inquisitor graced the room, she walked over to a door at the end of the study, it was a big wooden one with a brass handle.

It was little deceiving because it didn't lead to anywhere in particular, just the place you were thinking of when you walk through it. That's portals for you.

She looked back at everyone in the room, they all nodded to her in respect.

"Good luck child" She smirked, Jace frowned the head of all heads in the shadow world had just wished him good luck, could this day get any weirder. Oh yeah it could he wasn't a load to leave the side of a girl he had not yet found, and the last time they'd met she'd scolded him. Great.

Jace went to his room to collect his things, he already had clothes, weapons and belongings at the institute but he needed his books and assignments from his father. Of course he wouldn't be able to do it while he was traipsing around New York City after a complete stranger but when he got back to the institute he would have to.

Jace reached under his bed and pulled out a little wooden box. This was the blade his father had given him on his eleventh birthday, the one Jonathan had used against him. He never used it because of that reason but he didn't like leaving it behind, he always took it with him if he stayed away from home. It was the only thing he had of anyone else in his family besides his father and Jonathan. He definitely didn't want Jonathan getting his claws on it, which reminded him he should take anything valuable and his money with him.

Jace stared down at the box with the old blade in it, it had different markings than most blades did. It was beautiful in every way but Jace couldn't bring himself to use it one anything. The only blood that it had ever touched when he was in possession of it was his own, he'd never used it, he'd never trained with it. He didn't really ever take it out the box.

"That's where you hide that thing?" A voice called out to him as he gazed at the box. Jace turned around quickly praying to god it wasn't Jonathan. It was his father.

"Yes" Jace said getting to his feet and picking it up.

"Let's see" Michael said gesturing his son to pass him the box. Jace stared at him for a while and then down at the box. He had what seemed like kindness in his eyes, it was rare for his father to look this way.

Jace didn't really trust him with it but he did as his father asked and passed over the wooden box.

Michael took the box carefully out of Jace's hands; he took off the lid and looked down at it. "I haven't seen this in nearly six years" Michael mumbled like it was only meant for him to hear, he stared down at it like it was a work of art.

"I know you don't like to use it because it reminds you of what Jonathan..." Michael began

"It's not because of that" Jace interrupted quite abruptly, he closed his mouth immediately. He didn't mean to sound so rude but he didn't want to talk about it. He also didn't have time for a lecture from his father about him letting his emotions get in the way; the lightwoods were waiting at the portal he had to leave.

Michael hadn't seemed to notice they way Jace had just spoken to him, he closed the box gently and placed it down on Jace's bed. He dove into his pockets and took out

"When you get the red head to trust you, and you've taught her about our history and laws and how to fight bring her to me before she meets the clave" Michael spoke in a soft almost dad like tone.

Jace looked up at him, he knew he shouldn't question him but he wasn't sure what his father wanted with a girl he didn't know. He'd known Isabelle and Alec for nearly twelve years he didn't bother with them.

"Why?"

"The clave want to meet her to make sure she's worthy. She's valentine's daughter they have to do formal checks and things. They'll also want to assess how far she's come. So bring her to me and I'll show her something's that'll keep them onside" Michael gestured, His father could be nice sometimes but hardly ever and not this measurement of nice.

"But father"

"Bring her to me boy, I won't ask again" Michael snapped at Jace's questioning in a harsh and serious tone.

Michael went to leave the room; he stopped in the doorway and delved into his pocket. He took out Jace's phone and stele, he whirled back around and watched Jace pack the rest of his things and pick up his bag.

"Here" he said passing back Jae's items he'd taken from him when Jonathan had told him about Clary.

"Thanks" Jace took them from him.

"Well, I guess she wasn't Mundane" Michael walked out of the room after this comment.

Jace began to walk up the corridor, it was time to leave this place again.

"Jace" Michael called after him

Jace turned around. "I'll see you in a few days. We'll train"

Jace nodded. Was his father really saying goodbye to him? Ever since he was eleven he'd wake up on the day Maryse came to get him to go to the institute not that he needed her to come and pick him up anymore his father and Jonathan had already left on their business trip. He hadn't a clue what they did but as long as Jace was away from them and with his second family he couldn't care less.

He left with the lightwoods, back to the place that actually felt like home.


	4. Chapter 4

**-Writers note: I hope you're enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it. If you could write a review and let me know what you think it would be great, it's just I don't really know if it's going well or not.**

 **-Also if there's any errors with in the story this is due to writing early hours in to the morning when I'm incredibly tired. I apologise for that.**

* * *

Chapter 4

Jace stepped out of the portal with his second family by his side. It seemed like a completely different world from his life at Wayland Manor. There wasn't another place on earth Jace would rather be than here with his family. He was finally home.

It didn't matter how many times you'd been in the institute every time you stepped inside you had to take in and appreciate it's magnificence in all its glory. It was everything you'd imagine a modern castle to look like.

There were huge thick pillars that climbed up to the ceiling of the building; they had rune symbols painted decadently on them in a shining golden paint that couldn't be missed. It was floored in a white shining marble tile that always gleamed in a pristine white. They were enchanted so that if anyone was to dirty the floor it would instantly vanish, it projected a sense of purity and cleanliness in all Shadowhunters that were allowed into the institute. Wide white marble staircases plagued the floors with banisters either side that had golden painted vines curing around them. The institute had balconies that spiralled around the institute wrapping themselves around in a circular fashion on the stories above the ground floor. They were decorated a similar fashion as the banisters of the staircases. Incase you didn't feel like walking around the landings of top floors and taking long descending staircases there was also a lift option. On opposite side of the institute stood two glass lifts on each side. There were huge screens on the walls that surveyed New York, so that they could detect demons and protect Mundanes. And respect the peace.

There were more than 100 rooms in the institute including a foyer, control room, infirmary, library, a greenhouse, storage rooms, science laboratory and various studies in the name of various Shadowhunters.

The Institute was built as an asylum for Shadowhunters to keep them safe and protected, the three stories above the ground floor were full of rooms for these past shadow hunters. Most of them unoccupied, but each as spacious and private as the other. Only the first floor had occupants now that the shadow hunters didn't need protecting as much anymore.

Other than his own room here that was on the first floor right next-door to Alec's, where it had been since he was twelve, Jace's upmost favourite rooms were the training rooms. Everyone walked towards the training rooms on the left wing on the ground floor of the institute. Jace trailed behind, he never forgot how the institute looked but he felt like every time he left and came back it was like the first time he'd seen it. Isabelle stopped in her tracks and turned around staring after Jace who was staring at the cabinet of ancient weapons they'd collected. "Missed this place huh?" She asked in a low familiar tone.

She asked the question but she already knew the answer. Usually when Jace went back to Idris with his father he often came back to do missions with Alec and Isabelle set by the clave but recently they'd only been running errands for the clave so their mother had told them not to call for Jace. The longer Jace was absent the less valuable Alec and Izzy felt at the institute. Jace nodded in response to Izzy's question and took big strides to catch up with her. She was stood outside the double oak doors of training room A, Jace looked through the glass in the door before he entered. Maryse and Alec had already gone inside. They were stood in a half circle next to the trainer and mentor Hodge Starkweather, Robert Lightwood and Max Lightwood.

Izzy walked in and Jace followed.

"Jace" Wailed a small boy looking around the age of 7 and wearing a red tee-shirt and baggy trousers stumbled towards him with his arms out as wide as they could go. He wrapped his hands around Jace's waist, head butting his stomach pushing him backwards. He buried his head in Jace's shirt.

Max Lightwood even though he looked seven he wasn't he was nine and he was very particular about people knowing and remembering his age. He was still treated about seven and Max didn't appreciate it. That's why he liked Jace. Jace treated him like he was nine. Jace was everything in a brother Max had ever wanted. Max idolised Jace. Of course he loved Alec but Alec was a sensible, rule abiding know it all that didn't really have the time or the patience for Max. Jace was everything Alec wasn't, and Max was more like Jace.

Jace looked down at him like he was his little brother. His brown hair was a little messy, and his huge grey eyes were full of wonder and happiness. Max pushed his glasses up to his face, and stared up at Jace. "How's it going Max?" Jace said hugging him back and steadying himself on his feet.

"He hasn't stopped going on about you all day" Robert Lightwood breathed as Jace walked over to join them, "Welcome back son" he said reaching over to put a big arm around Jace's shoulders to welcome him back. Jace accepted his embrace.

Robert was a kind and reasonable sort of man, the way Jace saw it you had two types of fathers in this world. You have the father's like his own father Michael Wayland and then you have the dad's which is everything Robert was. Robert was an extremely likeable guy, with the biggest heart. He supported and cherished his family like they were the only things that would ever matter to him. Even though his father and Robert didn't see eye to eye any longer Jace could never hold a grudge against Robert, he didn't understand how his father could. Robert and his wife Maryse had admittedly had their problems but that never got in the way of them being a solid family unit, if there was anything the Lightwoods were known for it was how solid they were as a family. The Shadowhunters of Idris could on wish to be a part of a family like the Lightwoods.

Jace stared around the training room; it looked exactly the same as it did when he left it. Glass racks were mantled on every wall. Weapons hung from them all lay out in types of weapon and size order. Black 6ft bored dummies hung from the ceiling, they had targets in the chest area, a few of them had arrows still attached to them. Alec was the robin hood of the Institute, there wasn't anything Alec couldn't kill with an arrow. Jace loved training in this room, a whole lot better than he did at the one in Wayland Manor. Here it was like doing something he loved at the manor it was like going to work. The floor was a slippy white tile, marked with enchanted pictures of Shadowhunters fighting their enemies. The room was vast, spacious and light, there were glass skylights on the roof and flood lights that skimmed the ceilings of the room, it echoed every word you spoke. Nothing like the one at the manor house.

"Let's see what Michaels taught you that I couldn't?" Hodge Starkweather said emerging from the crowd of people huddled around Jace. When Jace first laid his eyes on Hodge Starkweather's battle performance he was transfixed by it. He had jet black hair, dark grey eyes and the skills and physic of a sword throwing, demon slaying ninja. He worked by stunning his enemies with silence surprising them and slaughtering them almost instantly.

His battle performance was truly mesmerising, his teachings on history didn't have the same effect though.

Jace looked up at the mentor in residence, his original jet black hair had softened and began to grey, his grey eyes had paled but his strength, skill and power all remained the same.

He hurled a seraph blade towards Jace and stepped back a few paces, arching his back spreading his feet taking stance, before he attacked. Jace swung the blade around in his fingers for a few seconds, he looked at Hodge. He was staring at him his eyebrows were arched, his lips thinned he looked a serious as he possibly could of. Jace on the other hand stood around like it was a big joke.

Hodge edged closer towards him, his sword at the ready. With speed in his stride he hurtled towards Jace like a rocket that had just taken off. Jace expectant and waiting stared at him waiting for him to arrive.

Their blades clashed together.

Hodge with every strength he could muster went at Jace again and again swiping at him with the edge of the blade, stalking around him. Jace defended each attempt using the blade as a block, he kept his guard up, he never dropped his blade. Hodge clambered around the training room floor like it was a monkey enclosure in a zoo. Jace stood almost still barely moving until his first strike towards Hodge. He leaped from his left leg to his right, he deflected Hodges sword to the left of his chest knocking it from his hands as it crashed against the floor. Hodge fell to his knees from the force of the swing, Jace held his blade to the heart of his mentor.

"It seems you've improved" Hodge struggled catching his breath. He looked up at Jace his eyes were full of bewilderment and shock. The little angel haired Wayland kid with a wise mouth and a strong arm he'd spent hours with training had turned into a young man with amazing defence and an outstanding battle performance. His mentoring days were over there wasn't anything else Hodge could teach him his father had outdone himself.

Jace reached out his arm to help the ageing male to his feet, Hodge gratefully accepted reaching out and taking his hand. Hodge knew this wasn't a move he'd learned from his father, he knew him all too well; he definitely didn't act with graciousness against his opponent. His son however, acted nothing less than gracious. Even though Jace Wayland was someone who couldn't be overpowered or outsmarted Hodge still felt like he was looking into the eyes of the little kid he'd first met.

 _T_

 _Jace Wayland's introduction to the institute._

 _he day of his eleventh birthday Jace Wayland arrived at the Shadowhunter Institute of New York, it had been late and the family had soon retired to bed after their arrival. Jace had stayed with the Lightwoods before but only in Idris. He'd never really left Idris before and he hadn't been away from his father and Jonathan longer than two weeks. But unlike any mundane child his age Jace wished he never had to go back._

 _Jace had heard a small knock at his bedroom door, he'd gotten out of his bed and was walking over to answer it when the door creaked open. A girl stood in the door way, she wore pink and white cotton pyjama's that were covered in princess tiara's, her raven black hair fell down her shoulders, her previous French braids had indented her hair and made thick wavy curls. She was a week older than Jace and she was made sure Jace and everyone else knew it._

" _Iz" Jace whispered, as she stood arms folded and the look of mischief on her face._

" _Quiet, how's your birthday been so far" She asked she walked a little further into his room looking around it. She was completely satisfied with the fact it was the same size as hers, unlike Alec's who had a bigger bathroom._

" _erm apart from Jonathan being completely insane, it was satisfactory. Why?" Jace quizzed watching her as she completely intruded his personal space and looked through his stuff._

 _Izzy put down a book of English literature in disgust and looked up at Jace. She looked at his neck in a scowl, it was this day that she decided she hated Jace's father and brother more than she ever thought she could. One day she'd make them pay for what they'd done to her second brother, she'd just bide her time._

" _We won't let insane brain ruin it, come on" Izzy took Jace by the arm and pulled him to the doorway._

" _Wait, where are we going?" Jace asked_

 _Izzy took a flash light from her pocket put it under her chin and flicked it on. "Welcome to Isabelle Sophia Lightwoods night time tour of the Institute, if you could step this way" Izzy giggled in a posh English accent._

" _Stop" A voice behind them sounded._

 _Jace and Izzy both looked backwards. It was Alec, his bedroom was right next to Jace's he'd heard what they were saying. He was stood in blue super hero pyjamas, a grey dressing gown and a pair of green monster slippers with googly eyes. His arms were folded and he had the 'I'm the oldest I'm in charge' look he always wore when Isabelle and Jace were up to something. He was a teenager now he had a lot more responsibility Alec thought._

" _You aren't going anywhere, go back to bed Isabelle" Alec ordered in a hard tone._

" _Doesn't it get boring and lonely on that perfect pedestal mum and dad put you on" Izzy snapped, her face flashed with thunder, she scowled at Alec. She didn't care how old he was, he didn't have to tell her what to do._

" _No because Jace is staying here with me, and doing as mum and dad say" Alec replied_

" _Oh yeah well you're going to need to find a new boring buddy because he's coming with me" Izzy stated_

" _Oh yeah?"_

" _Yeah!"_

" _Jace" They both screeched a little louder than they'd meant to._

 _Jace was not getting involved, he had enough arguments with Jonathan and they were more about Jonathan doing completely immoral acts, like pinning butterflies and moths by their wings to his bedroom wall, not about him._

 _A few moments passed as the two Lightwoods stared at Jace expecting an answer, Jace didn't let up he wouldn't give them an answer._

" _I don't know why Jace is even friends with you. You're so boring, following the rules and doing everything you're told. Oh look at oh so Mr. Sensible" Izzy caved, she put her hands on her hips like it was the sassiest come back she'd ever said._

" _I am not boring, don't be such a child" Alec growled._

" _Oh yeah, if you aren't so boring and I'm such a child you better come with us hadn't you" Isabelle challenged; she knew Alec couldn't refuse now. After all the sensible thing would be to supervise. She was a whole lot cleverer than Alec gave her credit for._

" _Fine I will, but for the sake of the institute, not because I believe in breaking the rules. And I'm leading you'll mess it up" Alec finally agreed taking charge. He walked quickly down the corridor and in front of Izzy and Jace._

" _How can I mess up my own tour?" Izzy whispered to Jace as Alec snuck down the marble steps at the end of the corridor._

 _Jace shrugged and shook his head in a grin, they both hurried after Alec as he neared the bottom of the stair well._

 _The three of them hurried down a quiet dark and empty corridor on the left of the institute on the ground floor. They came to a set of double doors that had a plaque that read 'Training room A' There was a dim light shining down in the center of the room and a hooded figure was stood underneath it._

" _That's Hodge, his training sessions are amazing..." Alec exclaimed, as they watched through the glass in the window._

" _but his education lessons are almost as boring as Alec" Isabelle chided, interrupting Alec's ramble about how great their mentor was, she'd heard it fifty thousand times already._

 _Hodge Starkweather practised alone in the training room, wielding his sword around at an imaginary enemy, he couldn't do anything else than mentor young Shadowhunters and practise his own skills inside the Institute. He was forbidden to leave the institute by the clave for being a part of Valentine Morgenstern's circle of rogue Shadowhunters. His involvement in the uprising which caused thousands of downworlders deaths lost him his freedom. The clave believed he didn't realise how far Valentine had gone, and that he only stayed to save his own life._

 _Hodge looked up and saw what looked like three little faces peering in from the window. Alec and Jace quickly slid back to the wall when they were noticed. Alec pulled Izzy back a few moments later. "Hey get off!" Izzy whispered angrily._

" _Shhh" Alec and Jace both said silencing their sister._

" _Is he coming?" Alec asked pushing Jace towards the door a little, to see if he could see the mentor inside without being seen again._

" _He's gone" Jace said above a whisper in complete puzzlement, he looked into the room the dim light was still on but the mentor had disappeared._

" _What do you mean he's gone?" Alec asked, shoving Jace over so he could see also. Both and Alec looked utterly confused._

" _Just go inside" Izzy prompted at Alec._

" _Me no way you go in" Alec refused_

" _But I thought you were in charge"_

" _It was your idea"_

" _I'll go in" Jace said to stop their arguing._

 _Jace opened the door slowly, and slipped through the door followed by Izzy then Alec who was holding on to Izzy's arm. They all looked around the room, edging in little by little surveying the room. Izzy held onto Jace's sleeve, She was older than him but he was a little braver she quietly admitted to herself assessing her actions to being scared._

 _They were in the middle of the room now, circling around so they could see all of the room. Jace could hear Alec breathing quickly, he could also sense Izzy's grip getting tighter on his sleeve. Jace was as scared as they were but he wouldn't let them know that or else they'd just panic even more._

 _A loud thud came from behind them, Jace spun around putting himself in front of Alec and Izzy. He put his arm out to guard Izzy, and Alec who was hid behind her._

" _What are you three doing out of a bed?" A calm and gentle voice asked, the hooded figure neared the light. When the dim light shone on their face Jace could see a set of kind grey eyes. Ale let go of Izzy and Izzy let go of Jace. Jace didn't drop his guard. His father had told him not to trust anyone no matter how nice and kind they looked. Looks can be deceiving._

" _Hodge" Izzy cried running towards the male, as he took cloaked hood from his head and looked up at them all. Locks of jet black hair slid across his face, and a smile spread across his face as Izzy ran towards him hugging him tightly. Alec had also begun to walk towards him. Jace didn't move, he stood in the background, watching._

 _Hodge stared at the third individual in the room, he'd stayed back away from him. His expression was untrusting and his eyes were staring at them presenting a sense of protectiveness over the two kids who had just thrown themselves at him. This kid was smart Hodge thought._

" _You must be Jonathan Wayland" Hodge called out to the boy._

" _Jace... Wayland" he corrected the mentor, Jace was instantly surprised at how quite it voice had sounded._

 _Hodge stared at him, he studied him. His angelic white shining hair and his calm blue eyes, He had a sense of innocence and purity about him that made Hodge realise he was the youngest of the Wayland sons._

 _Hodge knew he was destined for something no one could predict. It could be either for the greatest of good or the purest of evil. Only time would tell._

"The boy has become a lot stronger skilled and a whole lot more powerful than any Shadowhunter his age" Hodge whispered to Maryse and Robert as they watched Jace, Isabelle, Alec and Max walk towards the doorway of training room A. Maryse smiled as she watched all four of her children, she loved all of them exactly the same. "He's always been more advanced" Maryse shot back, taking Hodge's statement as if it was a threat to Jace. She'd defend him with everything she had.

"He's not more advanced Maryse, he's unstoppable. There's only one other Shadowhunter..." Robert began.

"Enough, he wasn't trained like every other shadow hunter" Maryse snapped angrily interrupting her husband. She knew he was going to slander their adoptive son with the most preposterous title there was. Jace looked back at Maryse and smiled before he walked through the door.

"That's what concerns me Maryse. His father hasn't just trained him to become the greatest Shadowhunter of his generation. He's been made into a weapon; weapons are only used for one thing" Hodge turned his back on Maryse and Robert placing down his blade.

"We need to inform the clave" Robert prompted

"No we don't. Jace Wayland is not valentine, Michael Wayland is not Valentine. All that boy has ever done is protect us, if either of you tell the clave anything about him and they decide he's a threat and banish him then we'll be burying Alec, Isabelle and Max before you have the chance to say Idris. If you care for our children all FOUR of them you'll both keep your mouth closed" Maryse exclaimed, her voice sounded reasonable, her face however did not.

She turned away from the mentor and her husband and walked towards the door. Her heels clicked against the floor in same rhythm Isabelle's do. Maryse was the commander of the Institute which meant she set and sanctioned the missions and she also dealt with the repercussions of them. She would not let Isabelle and Alec's death be a repercussion to a mission she had set for the clave, all because an old fool and her weak husband had rite off Jace Wayland.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The rain slat heavily against the sky light on the magnolia painted ceiling in Jace's room, he lay on his bed staring up at it. His lamp light on his bedside table reflected up towards it, making the rain look like phantoms carrying a candle dancing in the wild wind. The air had become thick and sluggish with the complete difference of weather in the same day. New York wasn't used to such uncertainty. A giggle came from next to him, Jace turned his head. Max was playing on a limited edition pastel blue Nintendo DS, he was sat propped up against the pillows as he raced around a track on Mario Kart. He turned the DS as he took the corners on the virtual game, he smiled and laughed cheering excessively as he passed the finish line in 1st place.

Jace looked at Max, as a huge grin crossed his face, Jace had brought it for him for his ninth birthday and Max wouldn't put it down. It amazed Jace how a simple game, a virtual victory could light up his whole world. Jace never had anything like that as a kid; the only thing his father brought him to entertain himself was a chess board. His father even turned that into a lesson, making it educational. Jace studied the board every possible move every possible win. He sat at the table for hours playing it on his own; his father had told him playing against yourself was the best and quickest way to learn. It wasn't quick; it took Jace almost two years to understand it to his father's standards.

It wasn't much fun when he finally did understood it either because he and his father could on ever get check when they played against each other and Jonathan threw the board up the wall and launched at Jace for taking out his knight.

"So how do we find this mundane?" Izzy questioned, she paced up and down the width of Jace's room at the same pace with same sized steps when she'd gone from the drawers to the foot of the bed and back again. "She's not mundane" Alec called bluntly with little effort from the corner of the room; he was sat on Jace's desk with his feet dangling down on the chair in a careless motion. Alec was in one of his daunting moods that threatened to drag everything and everyone down with him. It's the way a thirteen year old girl acted because she'd just been titled a teenager and just because she could. Although Alec was 17 and always gone in these little bitch moods they never got any less entertaining.

"But she was raised mundane" Jace prompted looking over at Alec ignoring his depressing output of life, Max jabbed him in the arm when Jace took his attention away from his game. Max didn't see Jace as much as Alec and Izzy so he made sure he got the attention from him when it was given.

"So?" Alec grunted moodily

"So, that's the key to find her" Izzy said, snapping her fingers she wore a smug smile on her face, she relished in her success a few seconds before Alec challenged her.

"How do you work that out?"

"Well if you were told you weren't a shadow hunter what would you do?" Izzy questioned sassily over at her brother. She wouldn't be proved wrong, she never had been she never will especially not by Alec who was giving a droll of boring protesting statements as his defence.

"Well I am" Alec remarked, his tone seemed like he was a little annoyed. He'd been this way since they'd left Idris. Jace looked over at him in confusion, and then back down at the screen of Max's console.

"We'd prove that we were one" Jace mumbled still concentrating on Max but answering Izzy's question because Alec seemed incapable of contributing anything remotely relatable.

"Exactly" Izzy rolled her tongue as she spoke, her eyes glinted with ingenious. She was always good at this kind of thing; In her belief her brothers would be completely lost without her input to direct them to greatness. They would be nothing without her expertise in culture of different species even mundane. It was the fact she knew so much everything about them that qualified her to dislike them so much.

"So you're saying she's trying to prove she's mundane? Why would anyone want to that?" Alec frowned; he wasn't even trying to project any intelligence he wasn't in the mood to run around after a cross bread girl. Jace had only just came home and now he had to spend every second with a crazy girl who wanted to prove she was mundane. Was she sick?

"So you aren't completely stupid?" Isabelle mocked; she clapped her hands at her brother's reply. Alec arched his eyebrows at his sister.

"What are you thinking Iz?" Jace joined in breaking their little ongoing feud before it spiralled out of control and happened to last all night long, which has happened before. Isabelle and Alec were close as siblings but when they were both in the wrong mood they clashed like crazy.

"I'm glad you asked brother, If Clarissa Fairchild is trying to prove she's mundane, she'll be doing the most mundane thing she can think of"

"Which is?" Alec grimaced, still thinking this was utter ridiculousness, not that he was barely listening he was to busy in his little huff.

"The down world rave" Jace put in before Isabelle had the chance, she glanced at him for taking her thunder. This was her brilliant idea it was her job to answer all the questions, their role was to listen and congratulate her when as she was the only one who ever made any sense. It was sure to happen thousands more times so she wasn't going to hold a grudge. She smiled in agreement at Jace's interjection.

"A rave full of warlocks and werewolves?" Alec raised his eyebrow inquisitively a little sarcasm to his tone. He loved proving his sister wrong. If the most mundane thing this girl could find was a rave full of magical creatures she probably wasn't aware existed then she was fucking crazy and Alec had no time for crazy.

"Who will be amongst hundreds of mundane" Izzy shuddered almost at the thought of being in amongst them.

She didn't like the idea of partying with the mundane but if she had to too help Jace then she would, with great difficulty but she'd do anything for her brothers. The downworlders on the other hand she didn't at all mind. The downworlders were seen to beneath the Shadowhunters, it's some Shadowhunters belief that because they are half demon they should be eradicated in the same way. Of course if you had this belief you never spoke it because this was what Valentine believed. Admitting you have the same views as Valentine now that was crazy.

Izzy liked the downworlders and if there was one thing they did the best it would be having raves and parties. There was never a dull night if it was hosted by a downworlders.

"She didn't seem like a party rave girl to me, did she too you Jace?" Alec asked in an icy tone, looking across at his parabatai.

Jace looked up at them both, he chewed on the inside of his lip. Alec was right she didn't look like the most partying person he'd ever seen but Izzy's theory seemed pretty solid to him he didn't understand why Alec was so against it. Jace wasn't exactly an expert on mundane girl tendencies, or even shadow hunter girls pretending to be a mundane. Izzy probably was, so Jace hadn't a clue where to go with this one.

"I guess" Jace murmured

"You both thought she was mundane, so I can hardly trust your character analyses can I?" Izzy retorted defensively, she knew she was right; Alec just didn't want to go because it was Magnus Bane's party, usually she wouldn't want to put her brother in any discomfort but this could be the only chance they had of finding the red head.

"What if we go to this rave and she isn't there?" Alec questioned sensibly, If they went to this rave wasted their time searching for this girl, who could be anywhere by now, she could be in danger elsewhere. Alec didn't really care for her safety if he was one hundred percent honest he didn't even know her and he didn't exactly love the idea od chasing around after her. But he did care about Jace's welfare and the welfare of his family so only the angels know what the clave would do to Jace if he failed them. Or what this crazy girl could do to the shadow hunting world if she was anything like Valentine.

"You mean what if we go there and Magnus is there" Izzy growled slumping on the bed in front of Max. All three of her brothers all looked at her in completely different ways. Max scowled at her when she'd interrupted his game. Alec's was a face of lightening as he glared with evil eyes, Jace was a look of pure confusion.

"Magnus Bane?" Jace murmured inquisitively. Why would Alec care to be around the high warlock of Brooklyn.

"He has a thing for Alec" Izzy informed, Alec squirmed at her revelation of his life.

"Magnus Bane has a thing for everyone, the guys a slag" Alec snapped at them both angrily and defensively.

Magnus did have a thing for Alec, in fact it was a little more than just a thing. Magnus Bane was the high warlock of Brooklyn and took pride in his exquisite taste, and Alec was exactly that. There was something about Alexander Lightwood that he knew he really wanted.

Alec studied Jace's reaction to what his sister had said, but there wasn't one. Jace didn't feel the need to react he knew all about Magnus Bane's lust for practically anyone and everyone. Jace kind of admired Magnus' confidence to flirt with anyone he took a 'fancy' to, Magnus Bane was proud to named as a 'slag'. What fascinated Jace even more was he took rejection as a challenge, he was persistent and didn't let up. There qualities most males wish they could have.

"Well I'm going to the rave, if either of you come up with a better idea be sure to let me know" Izzy spoke in a defining voice, that made the boys understand she wouldn't be argued with.

Jace looked over across at Alec, in the notion that they had a sense of duty and out of obligation of being her brothers they had to go to protect her. They both would admit Izzy could defend herself but Maryse would crucify both of them if something happened to her.

Alec met Jace's look and nodded.

"Iz, wait we'll come with you" Jace interjected her hurried tapping against the wooden floor of his bedroom as she walked towards the door stopped immediately.

Izzy smiled a 'Just like I'd planned' smile briefly before she whipped her head around glancing at her brothers. "You'll need to change. I'll meet you in the foyer twenty minutes" She instructed before taking off out of the door.

Izzy was almost to used to getting her way with Jace and Alec.

Alec attempted to protect himself by debating it and completely disagreeing, today he'd done it more than usual he'd been in a mood all week Jace always caved practically straight away which then made all of Alec's arguments a complete waste of his breath. But due to Alec being so argumentative and irritable at everyone and everything recently she allowed him to at least believe he had a chance at getting his way.

Alec made a lazy effort to stand up and seem even a little interested, he collected himself and stood up from where he sat on the desk.

Jace stared up at him, Alec was always shifty and a little weird but he'd been acting even stranger than normal. It couldn't still be him ignoring his calls earlier could it? Jace thought to himself. Alec wasn't that self absorbed, he knew about Jace's family dynamic he had to understand he wasn't purposely ignoring him. They were parabatai, by the angel he could never get rid of Alec even if he wanted to.

"Alec, are we good?" Jace quizzed in a frown. His cool trusting blue eyes glanced over Alec, his lips thinned, his left blonde slightly light brown eyebrow was raised in question. Jace had a face that looked like it had been chiselled and designed by an angel but even Alec could see his face looked tighter and little more confused.

"Yep" Alec answered short and sharply in almost one breath like he was annoyed at Jace for even asking. Jace wouldn't usually but after that response Jace was now convinced there was something wrong. Jace glanced over at him; Alec had his back to him but turned his head to cast a glance over him. Alec's shoulders were tense and his face flashed with annoyance.

Even as a kid Jace and Alec rarely argued or had a problem with each other, they'd never been annoyed with each other for longer than an hour or so. It didn't bother Jace when Alec took control of every mission because of his age, or because he acted like his dad when he and Izzy were suggesting they should do something against the rules, and he didn't even mind when Alec took his mood swings out on him usually. What was possibly wrong with him?

"Are you sure because..." Jace began

"Because what?" Alec snapped back angrily, he turned viciously towards Jace. If Jace hadn't of been sat down he knew he would of stepped away from him. What the hell was wrong with him? Alec looked down at Jace who was sat on his king size bed his back resting against the wall one of his legs against his chest the other stretched out and was playing footsies with Max who wasn't paying attention to any of them.

Alec felt a little guilty for snapping at Jace when he looked as Jace's 'what the fuck' expression.

Alec would admit he always took his shit out on his best friend and for weeks after he felt weighed down with guilt for it. He never meant to but when Jace was there he was the only one who really listened so when he wasn't it all built up inside of him and just got released when he came back again. Jace never took any of his shit out on him, and Jace had real reasons to be an arsehole to everyone but he wasn't. This made Alec feel a million times worse.

"Because you've spoken to me like shit ever since you came to the manor house" Jace replied, his tone was soft, kind and sincerely concerned. If it had been Jonathan and not Alec he would have shouted it in the most hatred of tones he could manage and Jonathan would have probably swung for him and they'd be brawling around the Manor house attempting to cave each other's heads in.

But it wasn't, it was Alec and primarily Alec was a good guy and usually one of the nicest people you could meet if he liked you.

Alec shook his head in denial; he had not spoke to him like shit. Had he? The truth was he had if he'd even spoken to him at all. Alec couldn't understand why he was speaking to Jace this way it was just happening like he couldn't, he hadn't even realised what he'd said by the time it had come pouring out of his mouth." Iz said you were annoyed at me, I didn't ignore you my father..." Jace went to continue after looking at Alec battling the idea to weather he had or hadn't treated Jace wrongly.

"Ignore Izzy. It's not you" Alec interrupted apologetically

"Then what's up?"Jace asked

Alec searched in his brain for an answer, some excuse he could make up because he didn't want to seem crazy, because he hadn't got a clue why he kept lashing out. Alec was a rationale guy, everything had an answer and an explanation he was the one who created most of these themes. He wasn't used to things happening that he couldn't understand, it just wasn't right.

"I just don't like being treated like a skivvy to the clave" Alec said quickly in a little over exasperated tone which suggested he didn't mind at all. He was just proud of himself that he'd found an excuse so quickly that it showed through his reply. He glanced at Jace and Max to see if they'd noticed. He didn't like lying to his best friend; mainly because it was immoral and Jace couldn't lie to save his life so it was practically unfair. But he couldn't have people looking at him or judging him thinking he was strange or different sure enough Jace wouldn't but just in case. Jace seemed satisfied with this answer and Max couldn't care less.

"I don't really mind" Jace shrugged

"You don't?" Alec asked like he didn't believe it

"Not really. I mean it beats skiving after Jonathan and my father. At least when I do it for the Clave I'm here and its with you and Izzy"

"I guess so" Alec was smiling now. Jace's answer was fair enough but he'd do anything for anyone he cared for and he could hardly say no to the inquisitor or the clave. He was that type of guy.

When you're brought up and raised by two separate kinds of people like the Lightwoods and the Wayland's and you are treated differently by both it makes it easier for you to decide how you'd like to treat people. Jace knows how it feels to be treated to different extremities, and he was one hundred percent sure he'd rather treat people like the Lightwoods rather than the Wayland's.

"Come on Max" Alec demanded for his little brother as he walked towards the door. He gripped the brass handle and turned it stepping into the corridor.

"I want to stay with Jace" Max protested, not raising his attention from his game. He was still turning his hands with the console furiously because he was lagging behind the rest of the karts that he was racing.

"You can't, we're going on a mission. Mother's calling you for dinner" Alec called back from the hallway; they didn't have time for Max's arguing Izzy would go spare if they kept her waiting.

"Jace" Max wailed ignoring Alec and asking upon his other brother to stick up for him.

"Alec's right, sorry kid" Jace answered sitting up and looking down at Max.

Max stared up at Jace in complete dismay, Jace always stuck up for him against Alec. He was never this un cool. Jace smiled at the look of complete and utter disgust he was getting from this nine year old kid.

"Fine" Max kicked out at Jace, and got triumphantly to his feet stomping as he did so, he closed his console angrily and folded his arms.

Jace rolled across his bed when Max had once lay, Jace's duvet was all messed up and his pillows were slipping. He reached into the top drawer to his bedside table pulling out an A5 sized book. "Max" Jace called walking towards him as he walked towards the doorway heavy footed. He looked back his face was scrunched up and annoyed. Jace held the book out towards him.

Max's face light up like a sheet of lightning in the darkest of night, he showed his small white teeth as he gave Jace a gleaming grin. "You got it!" He squealed running towards Jace head butting him in the stomach as he wrapped his skinny arms around his waist with a tight grip.

"I promised didn't I?" Jace replied handing his book.

When Jace left the last time he promised the next time he saw Max he'd get him the last anime book in the collection he was collecting that he needed. It had been written by a Shadowhunter that lived in Idris. He'd gone to great difficulty to get it, not because it was hard to find, it was. But that wasn't the hardest part, the hardest part was coming up with a plausible excuse to leave Wayland Manor on several occasions. At the best of times Jace was a hopeless liar he was just too sarcastic and obvious when he was lying He couldn't even lie to the nine year old Max let alone his father. Michael questioned every little detail to complete and outstanding extent. To say the least it was hard enough to get his father too believe him when he was telling the truth let alone when he wasn't. It was something Jace considered an achievement, Jace would have rated it one of his greatest successes but he got caught out eventually.

"Thanks Jace" Max beamed from ear to ear he was absolutely ecstatic; he'd waited for a long time for this and for Jace to come home. He hated it when Jace had to leave but his mother had explained to him that Jace had a brother and a father of his own that he had to be with.

At first Max thought he didn't care for Jace's other family and he wanted Jace to live with them all the time, but after thinking about it he knew how much he missed Jace when he left so his other brother would feel the same. Maryse and the other Lightwoods allowed Max to believe this was the case because he wouldn't understand any other way.

Jace quickly straightened out his bed and put his belongings that dotted around the room back in their place or straightened them out. Jace liked to have all of belongings in their select place, everything easy to find easily accessible and everything had to be neat and tidy. He thought this was a habit he'd picked up from living with his father who demanded everything to be kept pristine and organized, but the first time Jace saw Izzy's closet it physically made him sick looking at her messily staked clothes. When anyone left anything messy he had this annoying urge to clean it.

Jace took his clothes out of his drawers; he took out his black skinny jeans that had cuts in the knees, a long sleeved black shirt. He rooted around in his closet for his leather jacket. Shit! He'd left it at home when his dad had taken it from him earlier. That was his favourite leather jacket; Jace was never seen outside the institute without his leather jacket. A Shadowhunter like Jace of course didn't only have one leather jacket but he'd left his other two at his room in the manor and the rest he'd given to Max because he'd grown out of them.

Jace stared into his closet completely flummoxed as his stomach did summersaults at his options. He had grey hoodies but they preferred to wear black for work, he had black hoodies but you can't wear a black hoodie to a rave, it's too hot. The only other thing he had was a denim jacket that hung at the back of the rail, Izzy had brought it for him and he hadn't even taken the tags from it. Jace rolled his eyes as he dragged it out the rail.

Jace took his stele two seraph blades and a couple of throwing knives he kept here at the institute. He took off down the hall closing his bedroom door behind him and leaping down the sets of stairs. Even though he was going on a suicidal mission that threatened his life against one of the most evil group of followers if they still exist, he was glad to be home.

He walked towards two figures that stood against the huge arch doorway It was Alec and Izzy, they were dressed to kill. They stared at Jace, in his new found attire this sure was the biggest change the institute has ever seen. Jace Wayland leaving without his leather jacket it's never been hears of.

"Don't even" Jace warned pacing towards them noticing their looks between one another.

"I've got to say brother, teenage half hipster half indie man slag mundane look really suits you" Alec said biting back his real need to burst out laughing. Admittedly Jace Wayland could look like an angel in a bin bag and a bob hat but it was just to much of an opportunity to miss winding him up.

"I didn't buy him anything that would make him look mundane" Izzy hissed angrily at Alec. "You look cute"

"Cute!? Iz I'm going to be slaughtering demons at a public rave full of downworlders and mundane. I don't need to look cute" Jace replied, a little over reacting.

"Where's you're..." Alec began

"Wayland manor" Jace cut in angrily.

Alec knew Jace wouldn't ever go back to the manor if he didn't have to, even if his own life depended on it. Jace better get used to looking like a mundane.

"Let's go" Jace whispered a little viscously desperately trying to avoid any more questions, laughs and looks about what the hell he was wearing. Because by the angel if he had to put up with this until he had to go, he'd skin a cow and make a leather jacket himself if he had to.

Izzy and Alec looked at each other as they made their way down the steps, they smirked.

"Just because I can't see you doesn't mean I don;t know what you are doing"

"Alright, Levi Geez. Simmer down" Iz said

"Levi jeans, and Levi Geez. I get it" Alec laughed a little excessively.

Izzy and Jace both gave him a 'Alec just shut up' look.


	6. Chapter 6

_The Quality Of Affection_

Chapter 6

A strange man sat in Michael Wayland's study; he sat slouched disrespectfully on his desk chair, his muddy shoes slung over the desk. He sighed basking in the silence of the house; he was finally free again after all that lying and pretending. It absolutely killed him living inside of that strong glamour, why did it have to be Michael Wayland of all people? Of course it was the only believable cover that he had but it almost made him sick, Michael had been weak and not exactly fit for Valentines purpose.

Valentine let out a small smirk as he thought about how he slaughtered Michael Wayland and his boy burning their bodies to cinders. Now he was acting as Michael Wayland he took it as a victory trophy if anything. Michael had of course been loyal but using him and his son Jonathan Wayland was the only way to explain Jace's existent. Of course Michael Wayland had been stray from his family and most Shadowhunters long enough for it to be possible to of had two children, one that the clave weren't aware about until he decided Jace and Jonathan had to be raised together in order for him to make the best warriors out of both of them. The Lightwoods had brought this facade of complete brilliance and lies and even when he acted the way Valentine would, they just put it down to him being involved in the circle. It was a work of art if nothing else.

Even the boy he'd raised for sixteen years, treated him like a creature and trained him like a working pack dog was none the wiser and he'd even made him study Valentine and the ways of the circle. The only people who knew his real identity were Hodge Starkweather and his actual biological son Jonathan Morgenstern. Valentine wouldn't class Jace anything other than his son, he had raised him, trained him, taught him and educated him. In his eyes Jace was his possession and that's the way it would always stay, Stephen and Celine Herondale's boy was owned by him and him only.

The only reason he let Jace leave was t keep the clave onside, and due to Hodge Starkweather being at the institute he knew Jace couldn't do anything without him knowing. That old fool would protect him and his secrets for as long as Valentine needed he didn't exactly have a choice. Hodge had helped kill Celine Herondale and make it look like suicide and smuggle their child and allow him to pass him off as his own.

Valentine wasn't the least bit interested in what Jace wanted, Valentine knew he'd let Jace get to close to the Lightwoods but he didn't exactly have much of a choice when the clave asked that one of his sons work for him it had to be Jace. Maybe he could use it his advantage because the Lightwoods considered Jace like a son, so they wouldn't want to go against their own son would they? That didn't matter any longer anyway because as soon as Jace brought the girl to him he'd be able to put the final pieces into place. All of his hours of work, effort and patience he'd put into both Jonathan Herondale and Jonathan Morgenstern the world was going to see it soon enough

Thanks to Jonathan, Valentine could finally put the final pieces of his plan together. This means Jace wouldn't work for the clave, see the institute or be a part of the lightwood family after he set his plans in motion, now was the time.

A light knock tapped against the door, the door opened slowly. Valentine slowly glanced up towards the doorway. And saw a shifty looking character, snide and evil glowed from him like fluorescent lights. "Jonathan, my boy" Valentine called relaxing back in the chair his hands rested on his torso and his black Shadowhunter cloak trailed from his body to the floor. He grinned and evil grin, his eyes were a crow black like peoples in his eye sockets. As angry as Jace made him, and the annoyance he caused him Valentine couldn't help but feel the place was seriously dead without his Angelic presence.

"Father why don't you just show Jace what you look like?" Jonathan replied questioningly, he slouched against the door frame. A frown was furrowed on his face, his eyebrows were knitted together and his eyes presented a contorted glaze.

Valentine snapped a look up at Jonathan; Jace was usually the idiot who had to question him. He never showed Jace he was Valentine because he wasn't fit for purpose, Jonathan was evil to the bone, and there wasn't a drop of blood inside of him that shouldn't be poisonous. Jace wasn't there yet Jonathan was born this way Jace had to be made this way. Thanks to Jonathan and his comment about Jace's mother earlier Valentine knew exactly how he was going to do this he just had to wait until he returned home with the red head then he would be able to.

"Because I only trust you" Valentine said a little nicer than he actually wanted to, Jonathan infuriated him at times but he had to keep him onside until he got Jace back here. He needed both of them and the girl for his plan to work. Valentine had waited so long for his vengeance, he couldn't have anything or anyone ruin it. No one would get in his way; the shadow world won't have a clue what's hit them. They will all pay with their lives, Valentine would make sure of it and his biological son, his possession of a child and his daughter would be by his side when he did so.

Jonathan gleamed at his father's response; of course he was who would trust Jace? Even their father couldn't force him to keep his mouth shut. I bet he was at the Lightwoods telling them everything their father had told them not to. Jonathan had a feeling the only thing Jace had never told them was what their father had told them about their mothers. Jace never spoke about his mother ever, probably because he was ashamed about it. Jonathans father must of cheated on his mother to have gotten Jace's mother pregnant, which probably made his mother leave them. So in all and all Jace's mother was a good for nothing whore, who liked wrecking families and then went and killed herself planting the unwanted spawn on them. It was a tragedy to Jonathan. People had the audacity to question why the hell Jonathan wanted Jace dead, did he have to clarify it anymore than that. Not to mention they had the same name, Jace wasn't worthy of sharing the same name as him after his existence practically left them both motherless. If anyone had the right to get angry about their mother's it definitely wasn't Jace. It was his fault after all Jonathan had concluded this as soon as their father had enlightened them to the truth about their mothers.

So Valentine didn't completely trust Jonathan with absolutely everything, he couldn't tell Jonathan that Jace wasn't actually related to him at all because the fact that Jace was his brother and Michael liked Jonathan more was the only thing refraining Jonathan from killing Jace. Valentine knew even this wouldn't be enough if Jonathan had a good enough excuse. He was his son, he was just as evil.

"Isn't that your brothers?" Valentine spat across at Jonathan looking up and down at the leather jacket he was wearing. He knew it was Jace's the boy wore it nearly every day without fail. Jonathan was more of a sweater kind of guy, he didn't really wear jackets. He didn't really suit him Valentine thought. He reached down and picked up a glass of whiskey on the desk.

Jonathan shrugged.

"Take it off, it doesn't belong to you" Valentine gurgled through a gulp of the alcohol in the glass. It touched his lips and slid down his throat, he drank it until the glass was dry. He didn't want Jonathan in Jace's clothes the very sight of it annoyed him. It was a little ironic actually Valentine thought trying to suppress a smile. People may think he was being a hypocrite because he'd taken the owner of the jacket and he didn't belong to him. He'd taken him right from his mother's womb, he needed him Celine Herondale had no rights to him the only reason she was even pregnant with the baby that would inevitably be owned by Valentine was because he'd ordered Stephen to be with her.

Valentine hadn't fed Celine angel blood and made her baby more angel than human for no reason. She was a car crash of a person anyway; he was saving Jace from such hopeless parents. She would have probably ended her own life anyway after he murdered Stephen.

Of course he was a little bit of a hypocrite, he was a Shadowhunter and slaughtered demons but he fed his other son demon blood. And was now trying to make his angel boy as evil as the demon.

"So, he didn't belong to my mother that's why she left" Jonathan retorted angrily pulling the jacket from his arms, Valentine dropped the glass to the floor and took to his feet; he slowly effortlessly stumbled towards Jonathan.

Valentine had allowed Jonathan to believe his theory about him cheating on his mother, he'd also let Jonathan hate Jace for it. He'd also let Jace suffer for his lies also, at the hands of Jonathan and out of complete guilt of his own conscious. Valentine had tried to teach him not to have a conscious it wasn't his problem if Jace wouldn't listen.

The reason Jocelyn Fairchild left was indeed because of how crazy Valentine had become and also to protect their unborn child. She'd not only taken his child she'd also taken something else from him, something he needed for his plan to be complete, that's why he needed the girl that's why he needed his daughter back. Valentine was like Jonathan he wouldn't take the blame for anything it was always someone else's fault, so he deluded himself to Jonathan's conclusion. If he got drunk and angry about it, he too would take it out on Jace. He watched the kid make himself sick with the guilt more so when he'd become a teenager, it was a lesson in itself. Valentine was teaching him how it feels letting your feelings cloud your judgement, it was his own fault for not getting control of his emotions.

It didn't matter what Valentine did to Jonathan he'd always be loyal to him no matter what happened. Valentine had made him so dependent on his need for him that Jonathan was just a force of 'pure evil' without him. It was Valentine who made him an actual person and not a complete monster. But this worked both ways he could also control the monster within him also.

Jace didn't depend on his need for him, he'd been rejected so much and being made to feel he'll never be as good as Jonathan that he was used to not being wanted by Valentine but Valentine knew Jace loved him so that or either pure fear of him would make him fight with him. He'd find some way of forcing him, that's the way you controlled Jace by force.

"He's bringing them home now" Valentine put his hand on his son shoulder, and looked to a blank space on the wall and smiled as if his memory of his wife was being played out in front of him. Valentine knew he Jocelyn was carrying another child he didn't know if it was a girl or a boy he'd kind of hoped it was a boy but a girl none the less it was another person to add to his ever growing army. When he'd seen the picture of Clary he was completely flummoxed to how this complete mundane stranger looked like Jocelyn had as a child, he'd sent some of his followers to check it out, they didn't find her. Valentine had worked it out the same time that Jace had in his study earlier with that bitch of an Inquisitor.

That reminded Valentine he had to get his daughter and Jace back home as quickly as he could, before she realised something was up. Valentine knew Jace looked similar to the Herondale's but he didn't think the inquisitor would have a meltdown about it, admittedly she couldn't claim Jace as her grandson the shadow hunter world would deem her completely crazy, Valentine always covered his tracks. But in case she rose suspicion before it needed to be made it would sabotage the idea of a surprise attack. As long as Jace didn't make the connection between his own mother and Celine Herondale before Valentine had the means to force him to stay onside everything would be fine. He had to send some of his followers to find her, the quicker they got back the easier it would be.

"Is that girl really my sister?" Jonathan spat out distastefully, his expression was complete disgust a face he'd use if he had to look at Jace. This red head girl raised mundane was his sister? That was more disgusting than Jace and that's something that can rarely be stated.

"Yes" Valentine responded"But when we have what we need she's not staying right?" Jonathan questioned he would not share his father with another sibling let alone a girl who might he mention thinks she's mundane. Even the Lightwood's were clever enough to disagree with that, It really didn't sit well with Jonathan it was an abomination. Their father could barely stand shadowhunters like the Lightwoods and the way that they live and train how the hell could he cope with his daughter wanting to be a different kind of species it was a disgrace to their blood. Jonathans scowl deepened, as he got further and further into thought.

Jonathan couldn't deal with this new found family. Of course he was happy his mother would be back here with him and his father and if she ever got upset by Jace Jonathan would put it right and severely deal with his brother If he had to. Jace wouldn't drive her away a second time, he'd be able to meet his mother finally. This would be okay Jonathan thought, Jace would be reminded of just how much he was missing out on because they would be a family and he would be an outcast. But Jonathan wasn't yet sure how he felt about this sister of his he had a big enough challenge keeping Jace in his place which was way below him. He didn't even like his father speaking to him with a defence or if he spoke about him fondly and fatherly. Jonathan preferred it a whole lot more when his father spoke about him how he usually spoke to him, like a disobedient mutt stray that they'd allowed in from the sidewalk out of pity. In hind sight that's all Jace was. "Depends" Valentine reasoned. "On What?" Jonathan defensively questioned.

"If she's fit for purpose, like you and your brother" Valentine spoke like it was completely obvious. Why the hell was he asking? He'd only just got Jace out of this habit, it had took him nearly seventeen years and a whole lot of patience to make Jace understand he shouldn't question him and should do as he told him. He wasn't prepared for Jonathan to develop the habit now. Jace knew what a whole lot of pain it could cause.

"Jace isn't fit for purpose" Jonathan snapped angrily getting dangerously close to his father, Jonathan knew if this had been Jae his jaw would have been on the other side of his face by now. Jonathan was the golden child he could push his father a lot more than Jace could. That's because he was fit for purpose and Jace was not, he didn't deserve the respect that he had. Jace would never be suitable, Jonathan was everything his father needed and Jace could never be anything like Jonathan.

"Hey watch your mouth. He will be very soon. He's not going back to them Lightwoods after he's brought your sister back here" Valentine warned angrily.

"As long as he knows where he stands" Jonathan grumbled not wanting to fight with his father any longer. On the plus side this would be another way to make Jace feel less of a person than he did now, Jace had become immune to the usual shit Jonathan had been using to get at him and beat him down he hadn't swung for him in a while. So new reasons was always a good thing.

"Leave me, I have some things to do" Valentine ordered ushering Jonathan away. He didn't want any more questions from his eldest son, and he had to contact his followers so he could put some plans in motion. Jonathan didn't really care about his father sending him away he didn't exactly want to stand around listening about the greatness of his sister and Jace. He was going to train, and practise so when it was a good enough opportunity, he'd eliminate his competition. Even if they were his siblings.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Bright and vibrant lights blared from the streets of New York City like a light beacon signalling to space. The night life of New York teamed with drunken men stumbling out of bars with high levels of Dutch courage starting fights and smashing bricks through shop windows. They were followed closely by and groups of loud intoxicated woman shouting the odds and stumbling the streets shoeless and careless. Bands of teenagers mostly underage and unfazed steamed in and out of club lines after being refused by the bouncers. They stomped off to the next club like an army prepared for battle praying they could fool some insolent idiot to let them have a good night.

Two mundane men tumbled out of a doorway; a blonde haired woman followed them out screeching like a hawk chasing a pigeon. They grappled with each other pushing each other around, their scrunched up fists swung at one another completely out of line out of the drunken sight they'd gained. "Stop" The woman screeched at them as they wrested. This performance was being played out in front of Jace, Alec and Izzy as closed in on them.

One of the men looked up at the Shadowhunters as they approached, his eyes rested on Izzy. Isabelle had changed from her 'important' attire and something more appropriate for work, meaning she had to distract demons. Turning the heads of forty year old, drunken mundane creeps was an occupational hazard when she didn't use the invisibility rune. Turning the heads of any male of either species of that matter was an occupational hazard something Izzy was particularly used to by now.

She was dressed in a strappy backless playsuit that had cut outs at her hips and meshing material on her chest area, her hip length hair fell down against her body covering her shoulders and her back; a few thick strands fell into her face as the wind blew slightly at her face. Her makeup had been touched up and her red lip colour had been reapplied in a lighter shade. "Keep the cheating slag" The man who had his eyes fixated on the strange seventeen year old who was stood in-between two males. He shoved the other guy away from him, who fell back into the woman. He grunted and she squealed as they both fell to the floor in a slumber. This is what alcohol did to people.

The three of them stopped and stared at the show in front of them, Alec rolled his eyes at the state of these three Mundanes. Alec was a highly stung guy, a little too much with him only being eighteen but the thought of making an embarrassment of himself and appearing such a mess in public was something that seriously turned Alec's stomach. His appearance and what people thought about him was a big thing for him, just watching this disgraceful performance was angering him. Jace had watched this guy's gaze ever since he'd looked at them; He stood with his arms folded a little in front of Izzy protectively. "Sorry to interrupt fella's, I hope you don't mind but I want the girl" He spoke about Izzy like she was a possession, like she was something that had an owner like an incoherent animal. Who the hell did this guy think he was, he 'wanted' the girl? Sleazy mundane arsehole Jace thought as he narrowed eyes and glared at the drunken mess before them. He hated people like this, with the demeanour that they had the authority to own and treat people with such disgrace. The way he spoke about Izzy was exactly the way his father spoke about him.

The mundane was dressed in a dark green polo shirt that was buttoned to the top, his collar was unturned and he had alcohol stains down the front of it. He wore a pair of dark blue denim jeans and some timberland boots. A black bomber jacket was tucked under his right arm and he carried a Budweiser bottle in his hand. His dirt black hair was a little wet and flopped into his face and he had a pair of dark brown eyes that he just couldn't take off Izzy. He'd once been a kind of 'Jack the lad' who always got his way. A few more people had begun to gather in the street, a few of his friends had begun to gather around him after delaying following him out of the club after the fight. They'd come to a halt when they'd realised the fight was over and their 'Jack the lad' mate was involved in something else.

"Come on Babe, let's get a drink" The guy said closing in on Izzy, Izzy sniggered in distaste. He was a mundane, more than twice her age he stunk of cigarette smoke and alcohol and his cologne smelt like a burned Christmas tree with a sprinkle of dead animal. "What? Bitch you think you're too good for me" He retorted in anger at Izzy's response to his advances. He grabbed towards Izzy holding her by her wrist. Before Izzy got the chance to kick this guy where it hurt, Jace and Alec stepped forward blocking her behind. Jace grabbed the guys hand from Izzy and shoved it back at him. All the guys' friends took notice and folded their arms like a wall behind their friend. "Do we have a problem here?" The guy spat nastily in Jace's face, Jace might have been only nearly seventeen but he was the same height as this guy and he knew he could batter the shit out of him with his weakest fist. "If you lay a finger on my sister again the only problem you'll have is choosing what shovel you're going to use to dig your own grave" Jace replied his tone was cool and serious. The guy laughed in Jace's face, it was hard to believe this kid was threatening him, a few of the other guys chuckled at Jace's threat.

"Leave it alone Geoff" the blonde haired woman called as she walked towards him, she grabbed him by the arm and attempted to drag him away. This pretty boy was brave protecting his sister but he was just a kid the woman thought.

"Don't touch me bitch" The guy responded pushing the woman away, she tripped on her six inch heels and fell backwards onto the pavement. He didn't take his eyes away from Jace, the glint in his eyes reminded Jace of Jonathan. Another evil little prick that treated woman like shit and thought they were the cock of the walk. "Make you feel good does it treating woman like shit" Jace challenged, he walked around the man leaving Alec to stand in front of Isabelle. He held his hand out and helped the woman to her feet because every other male on the side walk just stared down at her with no respect.

The woman took Jace's hand gratefully; she picked up her bag, and hid her face from everyone's staring eyes. She felt Jace's strong grip and looked up at him in complete shock, he may have been a kid but he was a strong kid where the hell did he work out? She thought. "Thank you" The woman murmured in a soft and unexpected voice, as she readjusted her red dress and pulled her long hair to the front of her shoulders. Jace looked at her; even she looked too young to be with this guy, she was about twenty-five. Jace turned around to look at this guy Geoff, a palm of a right hand came into contact with Jace's face, Jace laughed at his effort. Geoff didn't have clue who this angel baby faced kid thought he was but he'd taken men twice his size this smart mouth kid didn't faze him. If he wanted his sister he would, if he wanted to push a woman to the ground he would.

"Listen Scarface I don't know who you think you are but I'm the king of this castle" Geoff grunted as he put his hand back down and put them up in fists with a mean look on his face. Jace's smile faded instantly, his eyes narrowed immensely, his eyebrows arched. His heart began to thump, his blood began to boil anger ran through him like a tsunami crashing against his mind. Alec edged closer.

For the first time since his eleventh birthday Jace had chosen his clothing without thinking about the scar on his neck. The collar on his leather jacket covered it usually, he hadn't realised it was on show without him wearing it, he also hadn't realised the collar on this disgusting jacket he'd had no choice in wearing rested against his collar bone.

"Say that again" Jace yelled grabbing hold on the worthless piece on shit, Geoff dropped his beer on the floor as he was swiftly dragged off his feet and slammed against the wall. The bottle smashed against the floor at the same time that the mundane thudded against the wall. "Fucking say that again" Jace shouted at this guy, his hands were twisted around several times in the guy's shirt. Jace swung at him right and left and then upper cutted him in the jaw. Geoff fought against the grip of Jace, blood poured continuously from his face. Jace slammed the guy down to the floor; none of his friends had even moved an inch they just stared as a kid battered the guy they idolised.

"I didn't want a fight because I have someone to find and not a lot of time to find them, but I'm sick of scum like you thinking you own the fucking city and treating woman like shit I don't usually engage into conversation with pieces of shit like you but seen as you asked I think I'm Jace Wayland." Jace had him pinned to the ground, as he worse himself out tirelessly by kicking against Jace and fighting to get up. "It was a rhetorical question, I didn't care for an answer" Geoff growled holding onto his pride with the skin of his teeth.

"You aren't exactly in the position to tell us what you care for" Alec walked towards Jace and Geoff; he'd decided Izzy was fine to be left alone. He knew she could defend herself but it's the sense of principal.

"I think he owes our sister an apology don't you Jace?" Alec questioned, he bent down to Jace's level and peered over the male. "I think he owes them both an apology" Jace corrected, looking over at the woman that he'd assaulted. She was stood hid behind the first guy who had been fighting with Geoff. She looked sheepish and a little embarrassed; she shivered as the wind picked up and blew against her. Tears had fallen against her face, and she held her right leg covering a bleeding graze she'd acquired on her trip to the ground. She'd been trying to protect Jace because she thought he was a regular teenage kid that ran his mouth a little too much. Besides being a 'normal' teenage kid Jace would admit maybe he did run his mouth too much, if he kept it shut sometimes it would keep him out of shit but on this occasion he just couldn't seem too. He knew how it felt to be oppressed and made to feel like you weren't good enough, when really they weren't good enough for you. Jace couldn't stand up to his father because he was the one who dealt the cards but in this situation it was Jace was the one with the winning deck and he wouldn't let this guy get away with it. The other guy wrapped his arm around her as Jace looked at them, he looked down and Jace in a thankful glance for defending this woman he appeared to care about.

Geoff laughed "Yeah and what if don't think so" Geoff snarled his breath hit Jace right in the face the pungent odour made his stomach turn.

"I could always cut your throat out" Alec threatened revealing a throwing knife in his hand it glinted in the light of the sign above the bar.

"Fine. I'm sorry" Geoff fretted, fear entered his eyes. Every bit of pride and respect he once had was now a faint memory.

Alec looked and Jace, Jace nodded approvingly.

"Thank you very kind" Jace answered a huge grin revealing his pearly white teeth came across his face, before letting the guy go and getting to his feet, Alec followed closely behind. Satisfied with getting him to apologise to the woman he'd upset Jace and Alec knew they should leave it and get back to finding the girl they were searching for. Jace looked towards the woman, she nodded at him appreciatively "If only there were more kids like you" She sobbed, she wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand. Jace nodded in a appreciation before she turned and took off with the guy who held her up.

"Clary if you get this can you call me back please. I love you" A red haired woman said into her phone in a soft but hopeless tone. She was stood across the street to a long string of bars and clubs. She was stood in the shadows, out of sight and in the darkness. She'd spent her entire day searching for her daughter as discreetly as she could. She'd observed a fight that had broken out across the street, Shadowhunters and a drunken mundane male who had a serious lack of respect for woman and anyone else. Jocelyn had met people with similar morals, they weren't nice people to be around, it was people like that she was trying to protect her teenage daughter from.

The teenage boys had returned to the girls side as they walked away from the scene shaking their heads, the girl had a smug smile on her face as she looked back at the man who had tried to 'claim' her and grabbed at her. The drunken fool had stumbled to his feet, she watched as he wiped the blood from his face and glared after the blonde haired kid who had made a mockery of him in front of his fan club. Jocelyn narrowed her eyes and shifted on her feet as she watched on, her arms folded, a frown on her face, the guy cursed and scolded his acquaintances for not aiding him with their defence. "Good for nothing Fuck" He slurred in an angered shout at the kid who was making his way leaving the scene. The woman fumbled at her phone as it began to ring, the shrill cut out in the darkness, a few Mundanes looked across in her direction as the call rang out.

"Clary, where are..." Jocelyn began in exasperation, a smile warmed her face and her heart skipped a beat. She held the phone to her ear and stuttered out the start of what seemed like a sentence. Her face fell, her heart sank within her chest as the caller responded. Sadness shadowed over her face, her eyes became clouded with a mist of tears, and pain pulled achingly at her face. "Oh Luke. Has anyone seen her?" She responded defeated, as she helplessly longed for her daughter to call.

"Not yet, But we will find her" The caller, her best friend Luke answered in an assertive tone. He wanted to give Jocelyn a sense of hope; they would find her teenage daughter it would just take time. Luke knew Jocelyn couldn't wait, he'd watched her day after day worry herself sick about the sudden disappearance of her daughter. They were each both certain Clary had left on her own accord but Jocelyn couldn't shake the feeling she was in danger. "Yes of course" Jocelyn answered fighting back the tears desperately, before they fell against her cheeks. Her weak and tired eyes didn't have the strength to hold them back anymore. She ended the phone call and shoved her phone into her pocket.

Jocelyn couldn't help but wish Clary had people like the teenagers she'd just seen defending their sister and complete stranger against that drunken mess. She'd asked the clave to send reinforcements to protect her and her daughter, they'd agreed but she hadn't heard back from them. Her red haired little girl was somewhere in New York, god knows where and who with, Jocelyn just prayed constantly she'd call her back, or walk through their front door to the apartment she'd left earlier that week. She stared after the teenagers who were approaching the corner that lead onto yet another street full of clubs and bars. Even more chaos, angst, anger and intolerance of intoxicated individuals awaited them. She knew two of them to be the son and daughter of Maryse and Robert Lightwood, their raven black hair, slightly tanned skin and all around 'morally correct' don't mess with us persona that they portrayed made it every bit more evident. The other boy who had claimed to be the brother of the Lightwoods she wasn't sure of, she knew the Lightwoods didn't have another son that age plus his hair was as white as snow and theirs was as black as her ex husbands soul. He'd titled himself Jace Wayland, Jocelyn knew of one child of Michael Wayland and he was called Jonathan like her deceased first child.

Jocelyn stared after him, his crystal white hair shone in the darkness like torchlight in a tunnel. It was something about his presence, the way he walked; the way he talked, acted and existed that was so angelic and innocent. It was gracefully mesmerising, he seemed so light, effortless like nothing could touch him. Jocelyn caught a look of his face as he turned around to survey the scene he'd just left. The pale light from a lamppost on the corner shone down on his face, dark patches surrounded his jaw line and his bottom lip he was smiling slightly but Jocelyn could see how unhappy he was, like the world was on his shoulders and he had no escape. His eyes were full of pain and rejection.

"It's down here" Izzy called back to Jace and Alec as they took the corner to a quieter but not completely dead street. They had broken formation Izzy had taken the lead, Alec was behind her and Jace was trailing a few metres away. To say the least both Alec and Jace's focus on the mission had seriously shifted since they'd run into them Mundanes outside the club. Alec stared down at the blade he was carrying in his hand, he was thinking to himself whether or not he would have cut his throat out. He knew he would have been in serious trouble because murder was murder weather you were Mundane or Shadowhunter, at the time Alec didn't even care The strange thing was Alec was angry at the time but he wasn't completely sure it was just because that sleazy mundane had put his hands on his sister. Something else had made him snap but he couldn't quite understand what exactly. Alec was rational, he'd never acted so irrational something was going on with him he couldn't explain.

Jace fiddled with the collar on his jacket, he looked at his reflection in the front camera of his phone. It didn't matter how much he moved it around, it didn't cover his scar. It was a four inch thin white line on the side of his neck and could only be noticeable if you stared at him long enough or you were extremely close to him. It didn't matter to Jace how visible it was, he'd rather it not to be visible at all. A lot of the time it wasn't always the appearance of it that Jace hated, because everyone who knew Jace could tell you he had girls tripping over themselves to get close enough to kiss the guy, if they knew about the scar or not. There was just something about him that loured girls in and made them instantly fall for him, I guess you could say it was like looking at an angel.

These girls did ask about his scar though, and this was what angered Jace. He didn't like to talk about it because he didn't want to ever admit he stood there and let his own brother attempt to kill him and he did nothing about it. He didn't want to admit that he ever felt so powerless and weak that he let Jonathan walk all over him. Of course now it was different, when Jace went back to the manor after he'd finished at the institute Jonathan and his father were completely flummoxed at the difference in Jace. Jonathan more so, it took him a while to understand Jace had had enough of his bullshit and from then Jace retaliated to everything Jonathan did.

Izzy touched Alec's arm and dragged him out of his thoughts as she watched Jace messing with his collar nervously. She sighed as she watched him. "Jace you can't see it" She called out to him sympathetically, Jace dropped his phone and looked back at Alec and Izzy. He trusted these two with his life but he didn't speak to even them about it. They were there they had seen the whole thing; they had seen how Jace's kindness had been taken for weakness. It made Alec instantly guilty when he saw Jace having an issue about it, after all it could have been him wearing it if Jace hadn't shoved him out of the way. Alec knew Jace thought of it as weakness but it really wasn't. It was the bravest thing a eleven year old could to. Shadow hunter or mundane, Jace had taken a knife for Alec when he was only eleven year old. This was the type of person Jace was he'd do anything for anyone he loved and he'd protect them with his own life. It was heartbreaking to think his own father made him feel so wrong for being so heroic. It should be an honour to have a kid that was this way.

Jace looked towards Alec for his opinion, and he nodded in agreement with his sister. Jace shrugged at the last ditch attempt on rearranging his colour to hide the best part of it. A bit of it still showed but it was the best he could do and he'd have more problems that the scar if anything happened to Clary Fairchild. He walked towards Alec and Izzy as they made it to the Pandemonium club at the end of the street, The owner Magnus Bane looked through the top window of his loft apartment above the club. A grin formed on his mouth when he saw Alec, it would be a pleasure for him to greet them on their arrival.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Magnus Bane lingered in the doorway of his club, the pandemonium. The pun of including 'demon' in there had been one hundred percent intended, anything to annoy the clave or the children of the Nephilim. He knew his downworlders rave would be one of the greatest party events of the year in New York. The club was absolutely ram packed with people, it was a complete struggle to get your way through, but that's what made it so interesting. He'd half hoped that demons had raided his rave so that Alexander Lightwood could show his appreciated presence. Alec made Magnus feel like something he'd never felt before, it was strange because Magnus had had many lovers and suitors but in his three hundred years of life he had never felt quite this way about anyone. Especially not a Shadowhunter, the way they usually perceived downworlders was somewhat disturbing. This didn't matter to Magnus because all he could see think and hear was Alec practically every minute of the day. He'd barely spoken to him and he was driving him crazy, Magnus knew deep down he wasn't just lusting after the fit boy on the block, it seemed to run deeper than that.

Jace looked up at the bouncers as he came to the door, they weren't the usual ones that just let them breeze right through because they knew they slaughtered demons. And seen as they hadn't used the invisibility rune they couldn't just pass through so the only one that was able to legally get through was Alec just about. One of them stared down at Jace, he was stood arms folded legs a little apart, he had a bald head and a small black moustache. His whole body width blocked the doorway, and his fists looked like giant wrecking balls ready to swing. He was mundane but Jace didn't like his chances, the guy looked about to steamroll him over and crush him flat in about three seconds. Why did Magnus have to have a stupid policy that meant he had to rotate the staff that he uses. Even with Izzy's distracting, Alec's reasoning and Jace's strength they hadn't got a chance.

"Excuse me gentleman, these guests are with me" A voice coiled from behind the two bouncers.

They parted to the side and revealed a medium height male with a dark oak brown hair colour; the tips of his fringe were a striking electric blue. It parted in places and fell into his face in a kind of messily arranged style. He had thin eyebrows that out lined the top of his eye sockets in a perfect rounded shape; they thinned out towards the ends. Inside these eye sockets, lay a fairly normal hazel brown coloured eyes that were darkened and shadowed by his thick long eyelashes. He wore eyeliner around his eyes thick and dark and parts of his face were painted with neon coloured patterns that illuminated in darkness. Magnus Bane smiled a cat like grin bearing a set of clean white teeth as he stepped out to greet his newest guests. Even though his eyes weren't shining their usual piercing prominent yellow glow, you could tell he was a warlock just by being in his presence. It was like a slow humming noise of a magical hysteria that surrounded him, quite like electric in an electric box. It sparked from within him.

"I didn't expect any of you to attend" Magnus said in a playful tone as he stepped aside so they could enter the building.

"Trust me, we aren't here by exact choice" Alec grumbled rather rudely walking past in which seemed like arrogance. Alec wasn't being arrogant or stuck up he just didn't like the idea of this guy fawning over him.

"You'll have to excuse my brothers ill manors, the heaviest head always wears the crown" Izzy whispered toward Magnus suggesting Alec's rudeness was due to pressure he was under being the oldest child. Of course Izzy knew this wasn't the reason but keeping the high warlock who had a whole entity of magic up his sleeve on side was probably the wisest of ideas.

"Hmm, I like a challenge" Magnus considered before gleefully replying in his satisfaction. He gave Alec another smile to which Alec ignored. Playing hard to get was usually Magnus' forte so he knew all the tricks and signals, he could read Alec like a book. This unnerved Alec a little.

"Alec's more of a war than a challenge" Jace mumbled.

Magnus turned as the Wayland boy spoke, in his sarcasm. He glared a little at him, his yellow cat eyes flashing as he thought of a spell to get rid of the wave of negativity that was Jace Wayland. Magnus thought against it, giving Alec even more of a distraction than what he had already wouldn't work in his favour at all. "Who asked you angel face?" Magnus retorted, deciding this was a better way.

Jace didn't give an answer he just shifted on his feet impatiently, this suggested to Magnus that they weren't here to party and they seemed a little too anxious for them to be just here to slice a knife through a creature.

They walked through further into the club, music engulfed the room, the beat of the music shook the walls making it pulse like a human heart, It thumped and shuddered against the floor, vibrating beneath their shoes. People were stuffed into the place, they fell over one another, shoving and pushing. People peeled themselves from each other, sweat dripping from them as they were compelled to dance against the music. The club atmosphere hypnotised them into conforming to the party and mindlessly drinking, dancing and daring the night away.

The strobe lights lit up the room like fireworks in the midnight sky; they flashed against the ceiling and shot across the room in various directions. The club was covered wall to wall in splatters of aluminous neon paint; it was streaked across the floors and it was plastered on nearly every persons clothing and painted in little tribal patterns on their faces.

A girl with her face covered in pink yellow and green shapes like a Mexican day of the dead skull brushed past Jace as she fought against the crowd that was piling up behind them, as they let the scene go pass them by. She grabbed hold of him as her heels slipped against the floor; Jace caught her mid fall and steadied her to her feet. Her handprints in pink neon paint now covered his jacket. Wisps of her blonde hair fell against her face, "Thanks" Jace read her lips because he couldn't hear her voice above the music, she brushed the strands out of her hair and stared up at him. She looked up at him with entranced cool grey eyes they were fixated on him. Izzy rolled her eyes in annoyance she'd seen thousands of girls look at Jace this way, she wasn't the least bit jealous because she only saw Jace as a brother but it was always a distraction to the mission in hand as they drool all over him like a poster boy in a magazine. Besides she was a few years to old for Jace, it wasn't like she could help it because Jace had this effect on most woman but morally it wasn't right.

"I think you dropped something" Izzy yelled over to the girl in a fake 'I'm being friendly' voice it was a work of art Izzy had to use it so much she'd mastered it to succession. The girl giggled a little as she stared down at the floor, looking around. She glanced up a little at Izzy in confusion, it fascinated Izzy that something as simple as a sarcastic joke confused the hell out of mundane who had drank half a glass of wine. "Oh sorry, it was just your jaw hitting the floor" Izzy remarked as she yanked Jace from her gasp and pulled him further into the club. She laughed to herself as the girl nearly went head over her stupid heels as her grip got yanked from Jace's jacket, Jace was as confused and as dumbfounded as the girl, he hadn't really been paying attention. Alec shook his head as he watched from a distance, he'd wondered further into the club without realising Jace and Izzy had been caught up. He leant against a thick 8 foot pillar at and shook his head disappointedly; this was going to be a long night he thought in annoyance to himself. Izzy liked to mess with people especially Mundanes, this was her way of interacting, she gets impatient and annoyed extremely easily and it just results in unnecessary bitchiness

"Even if she was here we'll never find her" Alec yelled above the music, as Jace leaned in close as he motioned for him to listen to him. Izzy stood idly one foot in front of the other, waiting whilst her brothers analysed their options to her brilliant plan. "Who are you trying to find?" Magnus questioned Izzy; as she stood alone watching Alec and Jace decide how to find a teenage girl in a club packed full of teenage girls. "A girl called Clary she..." Izzy went to continue speaking. The music had instantly dimmed as the Dj's were swapping in session.

"What the hell!?" A loud deep voice called it echoed across the club as the lights shone white and the music instantly dimmed. A tall slim shirtless guy was stood completely dumbfounded holding his cheek with his right hand. He wore a face of a nasty anger, he was glaring down at a girl who was holding her fist and trying to fight back the immense pain searing through her knuckles and wrist. The guy had tried to force himself against her and he'd clearly chosen the wrong girl this time, she thought smugly. She glanced around in a little bit of a shock when she realised the club had fallen almost instantly silent and nearly ever pair of eyes were looking in her direction. Three girls advanced towards the girl, Jace smiled girls always formed together like an army when guys were being jerks.

Oh wait, they were standing next to the guy they were going against her. Isn't there some sort of girl code which deems this completely unthinkable?

These girls looked about twenty, they all looked similar. They were a thick set build; they were dressed in all black playsuits and didn't have an ounce of neon paint anywhere on their body. It looked like someone else hadn't got the memo. All three of them had their long thick brown hair scraped back into ponytails which were positioned close to the top of their heads. Izzy winced thinking about how much of a headache wearing their hair like that would be giving them, the way they looked informed her it wasn't a mild one. Jace looked down at the girl, he could only see her every 10 seconds as the light flashed past her and even then it wasn't exactly clear. All he could tell that she was stood with a guy who was practically snivelling and hiding behind her.

The girl turned a little, she was intimidated by these girls who were older, bigger and looked a whole lot nastier than she was. What was it with guys thinking they owned the streets tonight Jace shook his head in thought the lights flashed around again, her slightly turned face lit up in a neon pink light. Jace stared as it revealed a stunningly familiar pair of bright green blue eyes. It was her, it was Clarissa Fairchild. They'd found her, Isabelle was a genius Jace smiled in appease at the fact he wouldn't have to spend any more time trying to find her.

Jace stared towards them; he felt a grip grab him on his left upper arm. Jace snapped his head around and looked in the eyes of Alec, who was pulling him back and had an annoyed look in his deep ocean blue eyes. They'd already gotten into enough bother with Mundanes for one night, they couldn't go around sorting everyone's problems for them they had their own, Alec wasn't going to let Jace wade in and sort this one out too. He didn't doubt that he couldn't because he could, Jace could wipe the floor with any guy in this club apart from maybe Magnus because he had the advantage of magic. But they didn't have the time for this.

"It's her" Jace griped in a hushed tone at Alec's objections for him to help. Alec's eyes widened a little, before he let out a frustrated sigh, could this girl go anywhere without causing a scene they were supposed to be taking any attention they could away from this girl so the circle members wouldn't be able to find her. Then here she was causing fights with half of New York in the middle of a downworlders rave in a club owned by the high warlock. This mission would end up getting all of them killed if she carried on like this, this is the problem with bringing up Shadowhunters as a Mundane, they are were as strong and brave as any Shadowhunter but just as obnoxious and cocky as any Mundane the mix of the two just created constant confrontation and havoc.

Jace yanked his way out of Alecs grip, and looked across at Izzy who had caught on to the notions that this was the girl they were looking at. Izzy admired Alec's nature of being safe reasonable and playing everything by the book but Jace had sense, he knew what he was doing and he'd never let anything happen that would put them in danger, Alec needed to learn how to trust more. Izzy smiled at Jace and nodded in an unspoken agreement to go over to where the commotion had broken out. The clicking of Izzy's heals was the only sound that could be heard throughout the whole club, the atmosphere and taken a turn and was full of tension and apprehension. Faces were full of confusion, and others presented smirks at the hopes of a fight breaking out. It was always a good night when someone got their face smashed into the wall. People's eyes switched from the front of the club and back to Izzy and Jace, who had Alec and Magnus on their trail closely behind.

"We don't want no trouble" The guy hidden behind Clary called out in almost a squeak, Jace could see him clearer now he was barely seventeen he had a swampy mud brown hair it swept in his fearful face, a little over his plain brown eyes. He pushed his black framed square glasses back against his nose as he finished speaking. Izzy smirked at this sight; this was what the Mundane stereotyped as a 'geek'. A geek was an individual that was completely absorbed by online gaming; they surrounded their home life around virtual worlds. Their school life consisted of inventing a plausible lie that would get them out of gym class for the entire semester, sitting at the front of the class with their hand constantly in the air and inventing ways to kill the popular guy without ever being caught for going out with the popular girl that they'd been in love with since freshman year.

They hated confrontation and wished to avoid an angry fist like the plague; they were sensationally clever and could outsmart any dumbass who wished to pick a fight with them. The only problem was they only ever contributed to conversation in sarcastic riddles to hide all the complexities they faced being painstakingly in love with a girl who had no idea or didn't exactly care. How had a character like him stumbled his way into a club like this when he should be at home writing poems and crying about how many hot girls had passed him in the hall at school and hadn't even seen him. Izzy could read people like a book, even though he had all the stereotypical features and a lot of what had just been described was true about him, there were something's a little different about this one.

"Neither do they, or else someone will show them the door" Magnus cut in when they had all reached the front of the club, his voice loud and dominating. This was his club, and usually the odd scrap didn't bother him but Alec and the others seemed to be in need of Clarissa Fray. Magnus didn't help the children of the Nephilim and he wouldn't mind watching them rolling around the floor and taking punches to the face especially the Wayland boy. But not Alec. Magnus knew they were parabatai he could always tell, so he knew in order to stay on the great side of Alec he'd keep them all out of an issue they could all avoid. The group looked disgustedly at Magnus before backing off into the corner of chairs they'd appeared from.

"Jake what are you doing here?" Clary requested impatiently when she locked eyes with Jace, like he wasn't allowed to turn up where she was. Jace nearly fell back in shock, he could of literally spewed all over the floor as soon as she began to speak. Did she just call him Jake, who the hell was Jake? He'd never felt so insulted. Jace could hear Alec laughing excessively next to him; Jace lunged out and punched Alec in the gut. He stopped laughing instantly, he groaned in pain.

The floor began to vibrate the floor shook, the noise level sincerely inclined to an ear rupturing volume, the beat slammed aggressively against the giant speakers they were stood next to, the club began to liven up and the party resumed into full swing. A headache came over Jace instantly. "Is there somewhere we can go?" Isabelle requested to Magnus, she'd shouted it with all of her might but it only just came above a whisper. Magnus nodded, and insinuated a signal which suggested that they follow him. "We need to talk" Jace said into Clary's ear, her took her by the arm and walked forward following Magnus. Clary had no time to object but she wouldn't go alone, she got a tight grip on Simons hand and dragged him with her. The others followed closely behind.

Magnus lead the five teenagers up a matte black marble staircase just off the entrance to the club, six pairs of feet tapped against every step some heavier than others. They all came to an instant stop as Magnus reached a wooden door, the unnamed geek pet that Clary was holding onto crashed into her at the unexpected stop, she fell into Jace. Jace steadied himself as the red haired girl pressed against him, he looked back at her she avoided eye contact with him. Clary noticed a sort of gentle kindness in his eyes as he glanced back at her, she couldn't help but think what the hell he needed to talk to her about she'd only met him once. If it was about the cleaning bill of his jacket, did he really need to drag her all the way up here?

Magnus clicked his fingers and the door unlocked instantly, he pushed open the door and walked into his home he invited in is new guests. Admittedly he didn't think he'd be getting Alec Lightwood into his home quite this quickly even if t was for a mutual discussion that had nothing to do with him. Actually he hadn't a clue what the Lightwood's wanted with Clarissa Fairchild he hadn't realised she was even here.

"Welcome" Magnus said with an igniting smile as he ushered the guests through the door, his smile widened as the line ended at Alec. Alec rewarded Magnus with a little smile but the rest of his face was painted in awkwardness and confusion, Magnus watched as Alec swayed in after the others.

Jace glanced around the loft it was warm and friendly but like Magnus it gave off an electric buzz of magic. It was bigger than Jace imagined it could be actually a lot bigger, that could be a density spell that made the room bigger than it actually was. You can't always trust Warlocks they use magic for everything, they were a little like tricksters you had to have your eyes open to notice when you were being played. Jace knew Magnus didn't trust him either, he was never sure exactly why but he'd always felt it a uncertainty in his cat like eyes when he looked at him.

Clary slumped effortlessly down on a black leather sofa in Magnus' living area she looked up at Jace he wore a face like he was uncomfortable and thinking extremely hard about what he was about to say. She glanced at him, he looked a lot more stressed out than the last time she'd seen him. She hadn't realised until he'd left how nice he had been to her after she'd thrown a scolding hot substance all over him, she hadn't exactly spoken to him in the same way and it was her fault to begin with. She'd instantly thought he was good looking as soon as she'd allowed herself to actually stop, breath and not bite his head off, but she hadn't realised just how beautiful he was. Jace looked like he'd been drawn, sculpted almost. It was like he was the perfect seriously hot guy from any teenage girls wildest imagination. Girls dreamt of looking at a guy like this in person, any girl would love to get lost in his eyes, they were endearing they enticed you in with their innocence and integrity.

Here he was, stood in front of Clary. She kind of wished he wasn't because for some reason all she could do was snap and question this guy like he'd break her heart before he even got to know her second name. She didn't understand why she acted so defensive and vicious like a wild cat at any sign of interaction or affection. All she really wanted to do was listen to his soft sweet voice, endure all of his gentle humble tones, she really wanted to touch his soft shimmering angelic hair running it through her fingers smiling as it brushed passed her finger tips, and she most definitely wanted to taste his lips against hers she imagined they were soft, they two were enticing. He was simply breath taking and mesmerising and it scared the hell out of Clary she'd only met him once before for like two minutes. How was he doing this to her?

"Clary" The geeky boy snapped his fingers close to her face yanking her out of her gaze at this guy. Jace shifted awkwardly when he'd noticed she couldn't take her eyes away from him and she wasn't blinking. Clary came to an instant realisation at how weird she must be looking right about now. For some reason her cat claws came back out as a defence.

"Look Jake, if you wanted the bill for your jacket did you really need to chase me across New York?" Clary stammered, she was deterring the idea that she was the weirdo by making out he was a stalker. She folded her arms and looked up at him with the coldest stare she could manage just to add emphasis to the fact she was pretending she was annoyed that he was here. Alec and Izzy began to giggle again, only to receive a harsh glare from the other side of the room where Jace sat perched on a windowsill that over looked the night of Brooklyn.

"How about a Mundane name to go with that Mundane jacket" Alec joked, a mischievous grin lingered on his face. He couldn't help but joke about this; he vowed to himself he would never let this go. Come on Jake, Jake Wayland. You could not convince Alec this was anything but hilariously priceless.

"My name is Jace" Jace replied in a strangled sense of calm restraining himself from shouting it to the whole of New York.

"You mean with a C not a K. Are you sure? That's what you get for not telling someone your name" Clary responded playfully noticing just how annoyed this thing was making him. Jace sounded better to her anyway, she liked that. Jake didn't exactly have the black leather jacket, crazy weird symbol tattoos, crystal white hair, and bad boyish ring to it, not like Jace. It just sounded perfect, like him. Wait she was doing it again she was staring, she snapped straight back out of it before his response.

"Yes I am very sure. We aren't here about the Jacket it's not ruined, just misplaced. We're here to protect you" Jace responded, he messed with his new attire when he mentioned the part about his beloved jacket that was probably in the hands of Jonathan or burning in ashes in a fire caused by Jonathan. "Protect her, you?" The glasses wearing mundane she'd dragged with her chocked up, he was sat beside her his hand was itching to reach out towards her. The laughter in his voice irked Jace a little. "Yes" He responded flatly, like it was obvious. "From what?" The kid pushed his glasses against his face once more, they hadn't even slipped down but he'd down it either out of habit or to look more intellectual than Jace. If anyone was going to protect his best friend it would be him not this thuggish looking creep he thought as he looked up at this stranger.

"Why would we tell you Mundane?" Alec wasn't pleased with his mockery of their kind especially not when he was just a useless Mundane with no power and no ability other than mindlessness and sheer annoyance. The kid looked at him in pure confusion did he know what mundane meant, it means normal? Did he just say why could we tell you normal?

"The Mundane leaves" Alec demanded to the rest of them.

"The mundane is called Simon and he stays. You sound as crazy as my mother" Clary projected in a fiery response, she gets she her feet in agitation. Who the hell did this guy think he was ordering them around like he was the boss of them?

"We sound like her because we are like her, she's a Shadowhunter" Izzy said irritably the explanation had been played out for long enough, she didn't know why Jace was stalling to inform her but Izzy was impulsive and impatient she couldn't wait any longer. "Isabelle" Jace warned her to back off, if this girl deciding to do exactly the same as what she'd done the last time her mother had mentioned the shadow world, and gets herself killed. Jace's head would be served to the Clave on a golden platter.

Clary looked at the girl that Jace had called Isabelle; she wore a rebelling look on her face as Jace spoke. She didn't look like she took to kindly to be told what to do, none of them did but neither did Clary. She wouldn't sit here and listen to this insanity, a shadow hunter? Why the hell would anyone need to hunt shadows? It's not like they could escape.

"Good luck with hunting shadows if that's even a possibility but I have a rave I'm missing out on" Clary sniped, pulling Simon to his feet and making her way towards the exit. Alec and Izzy closed together blocking her path.

"There's some bad people out there Clary, you don't understand" Jace called after her.

She whirled around to face him from where she stood which were a few steps away from the Lightwood wall of two people.

"Incase you didn't notice from ten minutes ago when I punched that guy in the face, I can handle myself"

"I don't doubt that you can't against Mundane, its people from our world you need to be aware of" Jace said

Jace's words struck a chord inside Clary, it hammered against her chest. Her mum had said something similar before the day she had left.

 _Jocelyn stood in the kitchen of her apartment, the kettle was hissing on its stand and projecting out a white steam around the room. She stared out of the window; her eyes were full of demon, secrets and lies that she really needed to let slip from her lips. She'd kept her previous life to protect her youngest female child but she had recently been getting a sickening feeling that her daughter Clarissa would find out soon enough and Jocelyn was a woman of precision she'd like to tell her herself so she could learn to understand, and maybe forgive her eventually._

" _It has to be now Jocelyn" A gruff sounding voice called from behind her, it sounded kind but serious._

" _I know Luke" Jocelyn turned in angst, her head whipped around as she looked at him through narrowed eyes. He was sat at the round kitchen table with today's newspaper in his hands and an empty mug next to him. If anyone had the right to tell Jocelyn how to deal with Clary then it was Luke, he'd helped raise her, he knew her just as well as Jocelyn did._

" _Sorry, I'm just..." Jocelyn began again reaching out for Luke's mug as the kettle began to calm, it clicked._

" _Nervous, I'll be here with you" Luke cut in taking Jocelyn by her small thin hand. Jocelyn smiled at her best friends comfort._

 _The door to the apartment swung open and was pushed closed again almost instantly, "Mum" A girl's voice called out._

" _We're in here" Luke replied noticing Jocelyn's eyes had just widened in an instant panic._

 _A deep red haired girl with the brightest of green eyes swung around the door frame to the kitchen, she had her bag on her shoulder and was dressed in a red jacket, floral shirt and blue skinny jeans. "Oh hey Luke, Mum I finished them drawings" Clary said in a rushed tone, she yanked out the chair and sat on it delving into her bag and pulling out her sketch book. She hadn't noticed the concerned look on her mother's face or the apprehension in Luke's eyes._

" _What's this?" Jocelyn requested pointing down at the angelic rune scribbled repeatedly on the front of her sketch book._

" _I don't know I just daw it when I'm bored" Clary went to stand up again, she'd been so busy lately that Jocelyn had barely seen her. It seemed like just another regular day where she'd run through the door and run straight back out just as quickly._

" _Honey, we need to talk" Jocelyn announced stopping Clary in her skidding tracks as she neared the corner of the kitchen door. Jocelyn had tried to have this conversation with Clary when she turned sixteen but she refused to hear of it and called her crazy._

" _Mum can it wait, Simon wants me to get coffee and meet him at his house he says it's important" Clary argued a little trying her hardest to get out of this talk the last time she'd needed a serious talk she started coming out with loads of crazy talk about half angels and demons. Clary had told Luke and he'd told her he'd sort it out._

" _Clary it has to be now" Luke insisted at her protests._

 _Clary looked back at this guy, she'd known him nearly all her life and he was the only father figure she'd ever had she trusted him. "Okay" she sank back into the chair defeated._

 _Jocelyn collected herself and also took a seat, the three of them looked at each other in silence for a while, Clary's face was completely blank._

" _You remember when you heard me talking to Luke about the Mundane and you asked what that meant?" Jocelyn began._

" _Yeah, you said it means normal" Clary said, she'd asked this when she was ten of course she knew what it meant now._

" _Yes it does, in our case normal means human. But you Clary you aren't a human" Jocelyn mumbled, she was hesitant in her response but she knew she had to tell her_

" _You see Luke, you see. I told you about this. Mum of course I'm human if I'm not human then what am I?" Clary responded in a volatile way, she couldn't listen to this any longer angels and demons, her mother insane._

" _A Shadowhunter" Luke dropped in swiftly._

" _You too. I'm not part Angel none of us are. We are human everyone is human" Clary profusely argued, he green eyes glinted with pain and betrayal at the fact Luke was going along with this insane babble her mother had put into his head._

 _Luke looked at her, and her mother looked down at the table intertwining her fingers together. Jocelyn knew this was her responsibility raising Clary as a mundane had been her decision but it was the only way to protect her._

"I'm not listening to this. I'm late" Clary picked up her bag and pushed back her chair it screeched aggressively against the floor with a sharp piercing sound.

"Clarissa" Jocelyn jumped to her feet and grabbed her daughter by the arm,.

"There are some people from our world that you need to be aware of, you don't understand" Jocelyn continued, her eyes looked sad and instant with worry. Clary pulled away from her grasp and headed towards the door. She slammed it shut with every strength she could muster. Who the hell were these crazy people she'd lived with for 17 years?

"Clary" Simon yelled towards his best friend who was stood in the middle of Magnus' loft with her hand on her head with a voice of deep concern on her face. Clary couldn't help it, she kept getting bits of fractured memories or dreams that were flooding back to her, she didn't understand what was going on and her head pounded with a searing pain. It was a dull ache that she couldn't shift, this had happened to her while she'd been camping out at the art studio with Simon so she didn't have to go home to her mother. It was like her head was a shattered mirror and every fracture of broken glass was a little piece of something she couldn't explain, it was whirling around in her head.

"Clary" Another voice called out to her, it wasn't Simons. It was someone else's, it was a soft low tone it was humble and calming. A hand reached out and touched her, Clary swore her heart skipped a beat as a warm hand brushed against her skin. She looked up into a set of deep blue eyes that glinted with kindness. She tried to concentrate on the angelic face she hadn't been able to avert her eyes from since she'd seen him downstairs in the club but she couldn't. Her head was full of little visions of crazy symbols, demonic monsters trying to eat her face and a pair of yellow cat like eyes that stared deep into her soul.

Magnus stood to attention in alert as he noticed that Clary was having memory serge, he walked around her. "Look at me" He requested, she obliged turning awkwardly towards him not wanting to wriggle out of Jace's hand that was touching her left shoulder. Magnus clicked his fingers, the catlike yellow eyes were glaring back at her, she frowned instantly and shook her head in disbelief. "Somnum" Magnus said barely above a whisper, Clary looked at him for a moment before everything went dark, pitch black. Clary's eyes instantly closed her mind went blank and she fell against Jace who caught her under her arms.

"What the hell did you just do?" Simon demanded interjecting a slumbered silence the room had instantly plummeted to.

"It's a sleeping spell, Somnum means sleep in Latin" Jace spoke outside of his head as he was piecing it together for himself. Simon frowned at him, who was this kid? He knew Latin he wasn't as stupid as he looked. Simon wasn't the only one taken back by Jace's clever input; Magnus' face equalled Simons in confusion. "How did you know that?" Magnus added, he seemed a little offended that the Wayland boy had understood him. Usually his magical enchantments were somewhat of a surprise to most Shadowhunters. Just like it was a surprise to Alec and Izzy, who had stared at them open-mouthed as soon as Magnus had clicked his fingers.

"My father made me learn" Jace shrugged, like it was a usual thing for a sixteen year old to be fluent in Latin.

"What are you some kind of hypnotist" Simon obstructed Magnus from replying to the blonde not so thick kid.

"He's a Warlock" Izzy growled rolling her eyes, By the angel had he never seen any mythical movies in his lifetime, his stereotypical status says that he should have.

"Well Warlock. Why the hell did you just do that?"

"Shut up!" Jace, Izzy and Alec shouted in sync with one another.

"Jocelyn Fairchild asked me to take some memories from Clary, they appear to be resurfacing. She'll be okay after some sleep" Magnus informed them; he walked closer to Clary and put his hand against her face. Her head rested against Jace's chest as he held her in his arms. Her red hair was displayed across it, it never seemed to end there was tons of it. It was in Jace's face, protruding down his shoulders, down his shirt, it was everywhere.

Simon stared at them all in complete fusion; he must have been in some kind of dream. Firstly Clary decided to drag him to rave Clary hated excessive drinking, then they nearly get beat up by people twice the size of them, then shows up someone called Jake and two other strange tattoo teenagers with their own personal Warlock who had sent his best friend to sleep. It was the worst dream he'd ever had and he couldn't wake himself up.

"So what do we do with her now?" Alec asked in a uninterested tone.

"Help Wayland take her home to her mother" Magnus spoke with an instant smile which was returned with a scowl and grown from Alec. This was progress Magnus thought, the last time they'd been in one another's presence Alec hadn't even looked at him. If all else fails, Magnus could just put him under a love spell making him love him.

"How old are you Jake?" Simon asked as a genuine question, he stormed towards Jace who was picking up Clary in both arms, one arm under her legs and the other under her shoulders. "Nearly seventeen" Jace pushed the hair out Clary's face as her head rested just under his shoulder, one am sat across her and the other dangled out a few inches from the floor. She looked so peaceful, innocent and beautiful. Jace swallowed hard, he realised he'd looked at this girl and without thinking admitted she was beautiful.

"You really think I'm going to let a complete stranger who is sixteen and covered in crazy tattoo's by the way, take my best friend home. Do you really Jake?" Simon deflected, his face was completely serious.

"My name is Jace! I don't really care what you think" Jace shouted at the geek looking defenceless mundane that was stood in front of him with his arms folded in attempts to block his path.

"Listen blonde boy, you can't just come in here and swan off with..." Simon wasn't being threatened and intimidated by these people, well maybe he was but he wouldn't admit it.

"Mundane if we don't protect your best friend she will either be killed or taken by complete psychopathic mass murderers and then we'll be thrown in a cell in the middle of a wall surrounded my murders and cannibals waiting until somebody decides to venture out and put us to our death" Alec snapped impatiently, this is why Mundanes angered him they just understood nothing, the questioned and quizzed everything and they wasted time that they didn't have and it completely infuriated Alec's ethical balance on murdering an innocent individual.

"That works" Simon announced timidly, stepping out of the way.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jace walked along a silent sidewalk in an avenue he'd never ventured in before, after receiving the directions to Clary's address reluctantly from her Mundane little pet Jace had turned off saying goodbye to Alec and Izzy who had guided Simon home.

The rain splattered against Jace as he walked steadily in the direction Simon had sent him. It slat against him seeping through to his body and sticking his shirt to his skin. He felt the sharp cold tinge of the rain drown out the warm heat of his body. His hair was swept with rain water, the usual structure had been slightly guided off course to the left a little, strands of it stuck against the side of his face and the usual white blonde had been dulled into more of a washed out grey similar to the colour of paper when it gets wet. Even soaking wet through it still gave off its usual angelic shine.

Jace stopped in the street to heist Clary more comfortably in his arms; the road was lit with street lights they reflected against the pelting rain giving them a silver shine which made them look like bullets darting towards the ground. The night was peaceful, Jace listened as the rain water on the road as it trickled gently in a nearby drain like a little stream, the sound of a small buzz of electricity being given off by the streetlights above them and Clary's light and gentle breathing added to the harmony of the night time song.

Jace held her close to his chest; he'd taken his jacket off and put it around her when they'd left the club. Her face was nestled in Jace's wet shirt, her nose brushed against his wet skin where the collar to his shirt ended. Strings of her red hair stuck against her cheeks with rain water, the rest of it hung heavy from her head dropping over Jace's arm forming in sections where the weather had forced them it into a mass of thick clumps. It had curled even more than it previously was wrapping and intertwining itself around each other like a giant ball of spaghetti. Any girl would be able to understand just how hard it was going to be for Clary to get a brush through it when she awoke. It was hard enough at the best of times, she always got her hair caught and tangled in brushes.

Jace looked down at Clary as they neared a streetlight; a pale white light glowed against her calm and composed face, she had a black eyelash against her face, Jace reached his hand around to her face and gently wiped it away with his thumb.

He looked up at the address he'd been given, it was a tall structured building that resembled similarities to the club they'd just been in. It had two levels, one apartment was at the bottom and the second was on the top floor. It was built from a reddish brown brick, it had huge bay windows on both floors and It had green plants of ivy crawling up from the ground and rapping itself gently in an archway around the doorway of a rectangular oak brown door.

Jace pushed open the small black metal gate at the bottom of the path, strode up the small pathway that lead to three paved steps that lead to the doorway. Simon had instructed his specifically that he is to got through this door, up the flight of stairs to the second floor and to press the bell and wait. Jace was praying that he'd told him the right address and he wasn't about to intrude into someone else's home by opening this door.

Jace reached out shuffling Clary in his arms, he put his hand against the brass door handle it was slippery and set a cold shock through his fingertips. He pushed the door gently to reveal a long tiled hallway, with a grey door to the left that displayed 1A in big brass letters. Jace looked up at a black metal stair case that begin two thirds down the hallway just like Simon had described. Jace gulped and took a deep breath before grapping the stairs banister and slowly ascending the staircase.

As Jace rounded the corner of the stairs it revealed a landing area which had another door leading off it, this door was also a light matte grey and displayed the letters 1B. He inhaled deeply before reaching out to press the small brass bell that was fastened to the wall, he prayed to the angel he hadn't woken them up. He waited a few moments in silence; he looked around the empty landing that had the same flooring as the one below. A small yellow tinged light hung from the ceiling above him it was surrounded in a glass chandelier that ended a few metres from his head.

He stopped glancing around instantly as he heard a sudden movement from on the other side of the door, he stepped back a little. Jace had been in this game long enough to expect a demon disguised as a child standing on the other side of the door. He repositioned Clary in his arms again so he could reach down to his pocket for the blade that Maryse had brought him for him fourteenth birthday. The moving stopped, and the door was yanked open abruptly. It was lucky Jace had taken that step back. It wasn't a demon. It was a point of a blade that was two centimetres away from his face, right in-between his eyes. "By the angel" Jace gasped half surprised, he nearly dropped Clary as his heart skipped about nine beats and he almost saw his life flash before his eyes.

A red haired woman that shared the same colour hair as the girl he was holding looked down at him from the hilt of the blade, her poison green eyes glared down at him.

Suddenly the blade dropped against the floor with a metallic smack against the tiles as she saw Jace was holding her daughter in her arms. Jace almost dared to breathe when she let it go.

Jocelyn Fairchild leaped to the side allowing the kid she'd seen previously that night into their home. She immediately thought the worst of the circumstance she scanned every inch of the lifeless looking girl for injury. She looked up at the person holding her in a deep confusion when she couldn't even find a scratch on her skin. "What did you do!?" Jocelyn yelled she went back to the hallway picking up her blade and quickly approached Jace. "Nothing, I did nothing it's a sleeping spell" He stammered in an extremely fast pace as he backed away with Clary still in his arms, he was just as puzzled as Jocelyn. If he was going to harm Clary why the hell would he bother carrying her nine blocks from town in the pouring rain, she was light but after time even a feather would get heavy.

Relief fell immediately over Jocelyn like a maverick wave crashing against a golden sandy beach of worry and pain she'd recently been going out of her mind over. She didn't know how and she didn't care but this guy had brought home her daughter, She continued in her fast pace towards him which Jace was a little fearful of but he had nowhere else to run. She threw her long thin arms around Jace squishing Clary in-between them. Jace moved his head a little in surprise, before accepting the hug from an extremely grateful mother who had been agonizing herself with worry ever since she'd ran through the door a week ago.

Jace smiled a little as she let go of Jace, collecting herself and realising he was still a complete stranger and she had no idea who he was and the fact she hadn't given him a choice before she slung her arms around him in appreciation. She stepped back a little; she pulled down her jacket and straightened out her collar a little. Jocelyn smiled, it was lucky she had listened to Luke when he'd told her to go back to the apartment she hadn't long walked through the door. She knew she kept that man around for a reason. She slipped her thin fingers into her pocket and dialled his number before holding it to her ear.

The woman who had just nearly squeezed the life out of Jace beckoned for him to follow her as she put her phone against her ear and walked off ahead of him a little. "Luke" Clary's mother screeched down the phone to someone Jace presumed to be Luke. The woman had lead him into a room, he stood awkwardly in the doorway before she flicked the light on to reveal the bedroom of a teenage girl. "The Wayland boy brought her home" The woman informed, Jace couldn't hear exactly what the person on the end of the line was saying but he could hear he was speaking in gruff growling kind of tone.

Jace placed Clary down on a four poster double bed as Jocelyn instructed him to so with her fingers. Jace was quite taken aback by how she knew who he was, admittedly she'd only said Wayland boy which was considerably a lot better than Jake, but it was still what everyone referred to him as. He had presumed that she was Jocelyn Fairchild as she looked like an older version of Clary and acted just as a mother should, he had also done his research about the circle and its members so he knew who she was but how the hell did she know him.

"Okay, I'll see you soon" Jocelyn said finally finishing her phone call; she placed it down on the dresser next to the bed. She took Clary's sopping wet shoes from her feet, she took the jacket from around her and replaced it with a warm and dry blanket. She looked down at her daughter with a warm smile on her face pulling strands of her scarlet red hair out of her face. Jace took his eyes away from them allowing Jocelyn to enjoy this mother and daughter moment alone. He looked around the room; It was nothing like Isabelle's room.

Clary had all her clothes neatly hung in her closet and drawers, her shoes were stacked neatly on a glass stand in the corner, there were drawings and painting plastering the walls. The only thing that was on Izzy's wall was fingerprints of foundation or black smudges of eyeliner near her dresser and light switch.

Clary's room was almost as immaculate as his own, apart from sketches that were sprawled across the floor on the far side of the room. They had been arranged in a messy formation on stop of a canvas board. She was seriously talented Jace credited in his head as he scanned his eyes over the pieces of artwork.

Jace caught his reflection in the mirror on the wall in front of him, he pushed his wet hair out of his face, he followed his eyes down to the rest of his body that looked just as soaked as his hair, he could literally fill a bath full of water if he rung his clothes out. Suddenly his attention went to his shirt, he wasn't wearing a jacket, and his eyes instantly darted to his neck in the reflection. The thin white line was visible against his damp skin. Jocelyn watched as the kid in front of her eyes stared at his reflection and instantly put his hand against his neck covering a visible scar, the look of pain and guilt she'd seen in his eyes earlier had intensified.

"Thank you for finding her you don't know how grateful I..." Jocelyn began to say to the teenage boy as she flicked on Clary's bedside lamp. "You asked the Clave for her to be protected" Jace cut in as he snapped out of his own thoughts and looked back at Clary's mother. She was dressed in a black and white striped shirt, a pair of black jeans and a grey fluffy cardigan that trailed behind her when she walked. Jocelyn's lips closed, she had asked the Clave for her daughter's protection and she had wished when she'd seen him and the Lightwoods that Clary had someone like them out to protect her. After being a part of the circle and being undetectable for so many years she didn't think the Clave would oblige to her request, if there was anything you could say about shadow hunters was they were loyal and did everything to protect their own.

After Jocelyn had managed to drag herself out of Clary's room allowing her daughter to sleep in piece and not under her watchful eye. After recent events Jocelyn didn't want to let Clary out of her sight, but she knew it would just drive her crazy. She'd insisted Jace join her in the kitchen, he sat in one of the chairs at the table staring down the grains in the wood of the table. Jace felt his phone vibrate against his leg, he dug his fingers into his skinny pockets and dragged his slightly soggy phone out. It was a text from Alec. Jace unlocked the screen with the intention of replying.

' _We took the mundane home. Back at the institute, mother says be careful'_ The last message on the thread of texts that he'd ever sent Alec read.

' _Good. I will be_.' Jace responded quickly in an effort not to look rude in front of Clary's mother. He put his phone away, knowing Alec wouldn't respond.

Jocelyn stirred a teaspoon gently in a mug of tea, she had her back to the Wayland kid, and she was trying to think of the best way to start a conversation with him about what he'd been told about protecting her daughter. From what she'd seen from him earlier when he'd protected the Lightwood girl and Mundane stranger he'd never met, she knew he was capable of doing the task he'd been set. She just wondered what the conditions of his protection stretched to and if he knew the reasons she needed protecting. Jocelyn wasn't prepared to force Clary into the institute until she agreed to go at the fear that it would push her further away from her, their relationship had been somewhat strained recently and she didn't want to break it completely. She wanted him to know that he'd be protecting her in the mundane world.

"So" Jocelyn began, taking the spoon out of the mug and picking up two of the mugs and walking over to the table. Jace picked his head up as she began to talk. "The Clave gave you the job to protect Clary" She continued. She placed a white ceramic mug in front of Jace, to which Jace thanked her for. She put hers down on the other side and took a seat opposite him. "Well Alec and Izzy also, but they instructed I can't leave her side" Jace informed Jocelyn, in a quieter voice than he'd intended. Jace wasn't intimidated by anyone other than maybe his father and the Inquisitor, he wasn't shy either but for some reason he felt a little sheepish. He had no reason to, Jocelyn was looking at him with ease her green eyes that were identical to Clary's looked down at him with sincere kindness.

"Good, I prefer her to be protected at all times, anything could happen" Jocelyn cooed, she relaxed a little her shoulders fell and she sank back into the chair.

"The circle members, you mean" Jace inferred picking up the mug, Jocelyn's face looked back at him Jace wasn't sure if she was in surprise or if she was annoyed at him. The Lightwoods didn't like it when you mentioned the circle members in front of them; they were actually a little upset when they'd learned Michael Wayland had made Jace learn the history of them. Michael had told them it was for his safety so that no one could drag him into being that way; Jace told the Lightwoods he didn't think of them any differently. With his father it depended on the circumstance if he brought up the circle, if it was for an educational purpose he didn't mind much but if Jace or Jonathan questioned him on it inferring his betrayal he instantly got defensive and lashed out. Maybe Jocelyn didn't like talking about the circle; it couldn't have been easy for her married to a demonic hating psychopath who wanted rid of all the downworlders and attempted to purify the shadow world.

"How much about the circle do you know?" Jocelyn questioned the boy.

"Everything my father asked me to learn" Jace murmured in an effort not to offend her, Jace didn't meet her eyes as he spoke. This was something he did that his father absolutely despised, but in this circumstance Jace couldn't help it. Every ex circle member including Hodge hated the mention of the circle; they hated the idea that they were tricked into believing in something that was completely wrong. When Jace finally dared to look up at her, the face of annoyance and anger he was half expecting was in fact the same face of kindness she'd warn before. "Good. It's best you know everything. So I'm sure you know I'm Jocelyn Fairchild, but I go by Fray these days" Jocelyn responded, she had noticed his uneasiness when she'd reacted to him knowing about the circle.

Jace nodded, "I'm Jace, Jace Wayland" Introducing himself to her, he was aware she knew something about him but the way she was acting now he didn't think she'd refer to his as Wayland boy if she knew his correct title. Jocelyn smiled at him when he replied; she'd heard him earlier tell the Mundane outside of the bar but she was still just as confused. She hadn't had any idea that the Wayland's had had another child but she hadn't heard from them in years anything could have happened she hadn't exactly kept in touch with the shadow world other than Magnus Bane.

The room went into a silence again, Jace nursed the rim of his mug and looked down at the table again tracing the patterns in the wood with his eyes. Jocelyn stared at him again, he had the strength of nine kids his age, he seemed extremely clever and he had friends who he considered as his siblings. She just couldn't understand why his life projected a perfect picture but he always had a look like he was lost and defeated.

"I agree with your morals on woman, when you put that Mundane straight for his ignorance" Jocelyn said in attempts to get the conversation going again, she got the impression that he was a really reserved character.

"Oh you saw that" Jace responded a little surprised, he didn't mind that she'd witnessed him defending Isabelle and the other woman because that's what he was about to do for his daughter but he did mind her seeing the way he'd reacted about his scar.

"Yes it was impressive. Aren't you a little young to be preaching the importance of woman, Did you get it from your mother?" Jocelyn asked inquisitively, she'd known Eliza Wayland and she knew she'd had pretty abstract views about almost anything and she was extremely big of socialism she despised the fact that men like Valentine got viewed as a hero for his thinking's and beliefs and because she was a woman everyone turned against her.

Jace's face dropped a little more, Jocelyn clammed her mouth shut instantly realising she'd said something out of place.

"My mother died before I was born" Jace announced simply, he spoke it out like it was a sudden realisation to him. His voice was quiet but deep like it had only just registered the fact that his mother had never been able to teach him anything and he never knew what he got from his mother. This was the first time he'd ever actually told a stranger, he did listen to his father when he told him not to speak about his mother or about him to anyone else. It wasn't for his benefit it was for Jace's he didn't want to talk about his father when he was away from him otherwise why would he bother leaving if all we was going to so was talk about him. The only other person he'd spoken to about his mother was Maryse, he needed to get her trusty opinion on how she thought he should feel about not knowing her but her being dead.

"Oh by the angel, I'm so sorry. I knew your mother she was a lovely woman" Jocelyn gasped adding sympathy in her speech. Jace hated it when people felt they had to be sympathetic, he'd never knew her and she'd taken her own life she'd chosen it to be that way. Jace looked up at Jocelyn, she looked so trustworthy, she had a warm heart and a kind smile. The way you'd expect most mothers to look actually.

"You knew Jonathan's mother, not mine" Jace had answered before he'd even managed to register what he was saying the words just slipped right out of his mouth. It was a complete stranger but he just trusted her like he trusted Maryse.

"They're different?" Jocelyn mumbled softly in recognition to her confusion on only being aware of one Wayland child.

"Different people same morals, they both abandoned their children" Jace begrudged with hate he didn't know he had, Jonathan's mother had abandoned him and Jace was angry at Jonathan's mother for leaving him but only because it was blamed on him and not her.

Jocelyn sat back slowly a pain shot through her ribs as she listened to this kid talking about mothers abandoning their children. She coaxed her head for Jace to continue not daring to speak the word out loud because she didn't want to seem rude.

"My father cheated on Jonathan's mother with mine. My mother killed herself, Jonathan's mother left when she found out. She abandoned him" Jace was getting agitated at the thought of all of this, maybe why this was why he never spoke about it but he didn't speak in irritation his tone was placid and quiet, Jocelyn heard sadness in his voice in parts.

"I'm sure she had her reasons" The woman looked down at her mug and avoided eye contact with Jace. She'd also had a child called Jonathan like the Wayland's who had died in a fire alongside her husband. She had left Jonathan and Valentine in order to protect Clary.

Jace noticed the difference in her, Jace was aware of the death of her first child who had died alongside Valentine. Talking about a Jonathan probably upset her. But she more than anyone should understand why you shouldn't abandon a child since she'd lost one.

"She did. It was me" Jace sighed

"Surely not. She couldn't possibly blame you" Jocelyn's tone was a soft and calm like ocean waves lapping against the shore. There was tranquillity to her presence that was the complete opposite to Clary who was fiery and fast paced.

"Why not my father does?"

"I'm sure he doesn't, it can't be your fault "Jocelyn's protests a little louder in a horror that if this was true it was truly disgraceful, she looks at the boy who looks away at her last spoken statement.

Jace knew his father blamed him for the breakdown of his marriage, he knew Jonathan lead by example also blaming him for the reason she'd left them.

On the day same day that she had left them every single year Jonathan and his father have a memorial day like she'd died. They walk around in a slumber of sadness and grievance, Jonathan wears his most hateful and evil twisted face that he's managed to master in all of his eighteen years of life, Jace wasn't scared of many things but that face could haunt the devil. His mouth towards Jace was just as sick and evil, the things he says to him makes Jace wish he had died with his mother. It was disgraceful you wouldn't speak to the scum of the earth in the way Jonathan speaks to Jace on that day. He doesn't use just his mouth either, Jace is Jonathans personal punching bag.

His father wouldn't even acknowledge his existence the whole day until late at night and he was slaughtered. He would tell his second born son just how much his existence repulsed him for about two hours, he'd swing a few punches at him if he could manage before he collapsed in a pool of his own vomit and it was Jace's responsibility to put him to bed.

The worst thing was Jace didn't fight them back. He didn't respond to them, he just accepted it . He felt as guilty as they made him feel, it was his fault because who else's could it be. You can't take the blame out on someone who was either dead or wasn't there. Jace will lie awake every night sick to his stomach with the harrowing guilt of what his existence had done to the Wayland family. But the yearly anniversary of her leaving them was the only time Jace ever shed a tear, he cried himself to sleep. It wasn't because of the way the treated him, it was because he believed he was responsible for it.

Jocelyn surveyed the face on the young teenager that sat in front of her, his hair had begun to dry but he shivered discreetly in the wet clothes that he wore. Pain pulled at his face, she could see in his eyes that he was reliving a memory he didn't perhaps like. She understood a little more about why he wore so much pain underneath the mask of bravery. She knew now a little more why his eyes told a story of guilt which made him look so visually innocent. She felt like hugging him, holding onto the kid and never letting him go, her eyes began to tear as she sat there and looked at him.

She got up abruptly avoiding showing him the upsetting effect he was having on her, she delved into a pile of washing that was folded neatly in a basket on the side. She was about to take it into her bedroom and sort it before Jace Wayland had turned up carrying his daughter in his arms. She took out a shirt and some grey sweat pants that Luke had left, and a white towel. She dabbed the corners of her eyes and inhaled a deep intake of breath. It hurt her as a mother to see a kid the around the same age as her daughter look this way.

"Go shower and change, the bathrooms just there" Jocelyn demanded to Jace as she walked swiftly back over to the table, he'd barely even realised she'd left he was to lost in thought. He looked up at her with a look of unwillingness, he shook his head a little, he didn't want to take advantage of her hospitality he was there to protect Clary not to use it as a hotel.

"Go. So I can wash your clothes" Jocelyn insisted in a way that suggested she didn't want to be answered back. This was exactly how Maryse spoke to Max when she was trying to get him to do something.

Jace took the pile from her clutches and gratefully nodded, she smiled a heart warming smile and watched him as he walked towards the bathroom and closed the door. She sighed to herself when he was out of sight

Jace let the burning hot water fall against his body, the heat burned through him and made him relax. His body temperature instantly rose, as he appreciated the warmth of the water instead the freezing cold pallets he'd been soaked with earlier. It pushed his hair into his eyes, he didn't even bother pushing it back. He just stood still deep within his own thoughts, he didn't have a clue what his father would say if he ever found out he'd told a complete stranger about his mother and Jonathan's mother. When Jace finished and finally taken himself out of his own thoughts he got out and changed into the clothes Jocelyn had provided. He took his blades out of his trouser pocket and put it in the pockets of the sweatpants he was wearing curtsey of an individual with legs twice the size of his own.

Jace was beginning to think that Jocelyn must have had her reasons to raise Clary as a mundane other than Maryse she was the most caring woman that he had ever met, she must of thought she was doing what was best for her daughter. Jace made a promise to himself that he would try his hardest to explain the world that they lived in to Clary and convince her in going to the institute for protection. Of course he would have to or else she'd never meet with the Clave and then he'd have to protect her for the rest of the foreseeable future. Jace knew it was a mission so he didn't at all mind but he wouldn't be no one's personal body guard he had a life of his own. As pitiful as it was it was still his and it couldn't be ruled by doing and going everywhere after a Shadowhunter that didn't even know her own potential.

He also would not protect that lame Mundane, even though he was Mundane it was now their job to make sure he didn't go opening his mouth about the shadow world and some individuals form shadow hunters wouldn't agree with a Mundane knowing and would attempt to eliminate them. Which now it was up to Jace, Alec and Izzy to prevent seen as Clary hadn't got a clue what she was doing and it had been with them he'd discovered it. Jae prayed to the angel he would just think it was some kind of bizarre dream because he was the most infuriatingly annoying individuals he'd ever met just after Jonathan obviously

Jace emerged from the bathroom with his wet clothes and the towel in his arm; he pushed his hair up and out his eyes. Jocelyn reached out her hands to take the clothes from him, Jace handed the washing over to her. Jace froze instantly, he could hear a heavy pair of footsteps on the stairs just outside the door, Jocelyn was listening to. Her eyes widened and she looked up at Jace, Jace reached into the huge pockets of the trousers that were practically falling off him. Jocelyn took a blade from the fruit basket of the counter, she motioned to Jace to stay silent and she walked on her tip toes to the other side of the door.

A brass key connected with the lock and it turned with a click, the door opened swiftly and a tall black bearded man stepped in the doorway, he wore a face of surrender as he looked at the two blades that had instantly been pointed in his face.

"Luke" Jocelyn said in an exasperation letting out her breath as she'd held it almost instantly out of reflex.

She wasn't always this cautious she didn't put a blade to every one of her guests throats, she never even had her blades out from where she had hidden them under the floor boards but after she'd told Clary the second time she was almost certain the fact that her and Luke had sent fire messages to everyone they knew and were searching the streets of New York for a week would have caught someone's attention and if it was the attention of the wrong people she just couldn't risk it.

Luke Greymark stared with his blue eyes in a stunned expression; the two assailants lowered their weapons Jocelyn quicker than the other. He scratched his head full of brown curls. Jace looked up at the guy Jocelyn had labelled Luke. This was Lucian Greyback, he had also been a part of the circle he was once a Shadowhunter but his father had told him he'd been bitten by a werewolf, his father had said 'Every full moon he howls like a mutt at the moon' His father had no respect for downworlders Jace didn't really care as long as they got a long with him he'd get along with them. That's where he and Magnus had little issue, Magnus only really cared for Alec other than that he hated any other Shadowhunter.

His eyes instantly flitted to Jace, he looked him up and down, Jace guessed the attire that he was wearing belonged to him. He was staring at him with a fickle face like he'd completely messed with his head, if he cared that much he'd give his clothes back. Jace thought.

"Stephen Herondale" Luke spoke out in a little growl like he was completely flabbergasted, he pronounced it in a questioning tone, like it was impossible that Jace was stood before him.

"It's Jace Wayland" Jocelyn corrected

Luke shook his head as he refused to believe it, he had been close friends with Stephen Herondale and what stood before him was a seventeen year old Stephen Herondale. Similar height and build, right down to the nose shape and the hair. Luke hadn't seen hair like Stephen Herondale's since he'd last seen him before his death.

Luke reached out and touched Jace, were his eyes deceiving him. How the hell was this possible, this kid was Stephen Herondale? Jace pulled back little quite very certain that this kid was Jace Wayland.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Jace woke with a little start his heart missed a small beat as he heard movement around him. His eyes slowly fluttered open as he was dragged out of a dream he already had forgotten. As his vision cleared he realised he was staring up at a slightly cracked cream ceiling, he frowned instantly he sat bolt upright immediately and glanced around his environment. He didn't recognise that cream ceiling both of his bedrooms at the institute and at the manor house were a pristine white. He

looked around him a little frantically, white and blue floral wall paper, wooden floors, and strange antic lamp. Jace's eyesight soon zoned in on a small framed picture of a red haired child on the wall opposite him, he remembered he was at Clary's.

Jace pulled off a purple blanket that Jocelyn had gently draped over him when he'd fallen asleep, on the sofa with his blade in his hand. Jace had spent the rest of the night stay at the Fairchild's avoiding the strange stares he was receiving from the werewolf; Jace could have sworn he had barely taken his eyes off him since he'd walked through the door. He wouldn't have minded as much if he thought it was because a random sixteen year old demon killer had just brought his prodigal daughter home since she'd been missing for a week but Jace had a sickening feeling that it wasn't the only reason he was playing guard dog.

Jace had battled himself for about an hour fighting the urge for him to fall asleep, his eyes kept giving in and closing. Jace finally admitted defeat and Jocelyn had placed his clothes in a pile on the table next t him. She thought about taking the blade out of his hand but the thought against it.

Ray's of sunlight seeped through the partially open curtains covering the bay window just behind Jace, the heat of the early morning sun warmed his face as well as partially blinding him. Jace listened to the clock on the wall quietly tick, the sound of a ticking clock was the only thing that reminded him of the Wayland Manor and it certainly wasn't something that he missed. "Sleep well?" A friendly woman's voice questioned, Jace turned his head slowly. Jocelyn was stood leaning against the doorframe, he long red hair fell messily against her face, her green eyes looked less tired but still just as worried but she kept the same small warm welcoming smile on her face. She was dressed in a pair of pink and white striped pyjamas and a white satin bathrobe fell against her shoulders making the rest of her shapeless, the tie that wrapped it together trailed along the floor.

"Yes thank you" Jace replied a little quiet and groggy. Jocelyn watched him as he smoothed out his almost perfect head of hair as he spoke. She'd noticed on several occasions that Jace didn't speak like the average teenager his pronunciation of almost every word was correct to every letter and he spoke in a more of a posh tone than the average child she'd met. Jocelyn couldn't imagine Clary ever speaking this way, she barely strung a sentence together that made sense she mostly stuck to one word interactions these days. He presented himself in a way Clary never would either, he stood with a straight back and she had never seen him slouch not once, not even now in the early morning.

Jace got to his feet as steadily , his body ached a little when he moved especially his lower arms. Clary had been heavier than he'd thought at the time, but the sense of urgency to get her home had clouded his mind and made it easier for him to get her home. He took the pile of clothes from the table and Jocelyn nodded at him to use the bathroom. He dressed quickly, and left the bathroom. He'd been that swift that Jocelyn had barely moved from her original place, she beckoned for him to follow her into the kitchen in which he obliged with a nod.

He caught his reflection in the little glass panes in the kitchen door as he went to pass through, he traced his jaw line and under his nose where his shadowing bruises had gotten blacker, that was the thing about bruises they always had look worse to get better. The distraction of his reflection prevented him from seeing the strange glances Luke and Jocelyn were exchanging with one another.

Luke had spent last night telling Jocelyn that Jace had got to be in some way connected to the Herondale's, he looked exactly the same when Luke had first seen him he was almost convinced he'd been taken back in time. Jocelyn hadn't exactly been paying attention to him she hadn't told Luke about what Jace had told her she felt it wasn't he would want everyone to hear. Jocelyn was more concerned about Jace's actual family life with the Wayland's, she could see a similar resemblance between Stephen Herondale and Jace Wayland but it had been such a long time ago she wasn't even sure she remembered Stephen Herondale correctly. But she didn't know the identity of his mother he could of just taken after her, and he wasn't exclusively nothing like Michael Wayland. She'd warned Luke to back off and stop obsessing over it because it had nothing to do with them but in all honesty she couldn't help but feel like a hypocrite because it was something in the way that Jace spoke and acted when he spoke about his family that worried her. She was aware that Shadowhunters raise their children differently maybe she had just been in the Mundane world to long.

Luke hadn't taken any notice of Jocelyn's warnings he hadn't stopped thinking about it, it was playing over and over in his mind. It wasn't just his hair but was the most prominent feature of the Herondale inheritance gene pool; he supposed it could be because he was half angel. The way he smiled, his teeth size and shape, his unnerved look, his defence stance, even down to the way he looked when he was asleep it was too much of a coincidence for Luke he couldn't it go. The looks that Jocelyn was giving him to tell him to back off he was pretending he didn't have a clue what she was talking about.

"Sit down" Luke said offering Jace the chair opposite him. Luke was sat staring down at a chess board, he had his elbows on the table and his hand perched underneath his chin as he glared down at it angrily. Jace took the chair and nodded with gratitude, he looked around a little nervously he hadn't seen Clary yet and that was why he was here. He was supposed to be protecting her not sitting in her kitchen at the breakfast table with her family; he had the lightwoods for that. "So the clave entrusted you with Clary's safety" Luke said a little disgruntled, he had heard of Jace Wayland and he had also heard he was said to be the greatest Shadowhunter of this generation but he felt a little interrogation was necessary. Jace messed with his hands under the table, Jace couldn't help but imagine this was a little like the conversation you had with the father of the girl you were dating. Jace would think of himself to be confident, but Jace didn't do the whole dating and meeting parent's thing. He'd never found a girl he'd liked enough, he'd been with plenty of girls but none he could see a future with.

"Yes" Jace replied, he sat back in his chair and was conveying the chessboard that Luke had been staring at, it was making him agitated just looking at it. He'd left his king almost defenceless on both sides; his pawns were blocking the way of any movement of any bishop or rook and his queen was in a completely bizarre place on the white side. If Luke defended Clary as well as he defended his king pieces on a chess board it was lucky he was here or else she would be dead within three moves. Even Jonathan was better than him.

"Chess is a game of patience" Luke informed Jace as he noticed he was scowling at the chess board, Luke smiled at how the game confused the teenager. Of course Jace wasn't confused at the game he was confused at how stupid Luke was playing it. Jace smiled a little allowing Luke to believe what he liked. "Kids these days wouldn't know a chess board if it smacked them in the face" Luke growled a little, he moved a piece on the board selectively. "Why do you say that like you invented the game? Chess was believed to have originated in India in the 7th century it's an adaption to their game Chaturanga" Jace coaxed he didn't like his intelligence insulted and compared to every other 'kid' of his generation because he wasn't, and he didn't spend seven days a week studying things his father asked of him so a middle aged werewolf could tell him what he did and did not know.

"Yeah and I bet you can play that too" Luke challenged him in a gruff tone; he was an alpha of a pack of werewolves he wasn't exactly used to being outsmarted especially not by a kid on the exception of maybe Clary. Jace adjusted himself a little, he didn't want to sound like he thought of himself better than the downworlders because he didn't at all and he hadn't meant to cause any disrespect against Luke he seemed like an alright guy, he just got defensive a little too quickly. "No disrespect but nobody really knows how to play Chaturanga, it is said to follow similar rules as chess but the rules of chess weren't standardized until the 19th century" Jace answered a little nicer this time. Jocelyn and Luke just stared at him, who the hell was this kid?

"Did someone swallow a chess book or something? How the hell did you know that" Jocelyn inferred a little astonishment in her tone, she was stood with her arms against the kitchen side as she leant against it gently. Jocelyn knew how Luke felt about being outsmarted but she thought it was a little funny, she had listened to Luke's wisdom for longer than sixteen years it was about time someone put him back in his kennel. Jace shrugged, "My father made me learn"

Luke folded his arms and looked down his nose at Jace; Luke was just as impressed as Jocelyn at this kid. "I tell you what, you finish this game with me and if I win you tell me how you got that scar" Luke requested idly. Jace looked up a little stunned, his eyes widened and he began to sweat a little. He lifted his hand and put it against his neck. "Fine but if I win you never ask about it again" Jace answered hurt riddled through his tone; Luke simply nodded uneasily at him after noticing the complete change in the kid before him. He had been defence about his intelligence but this was a whole new level, Luke wasn't sure he wanted to know anymore.

"Mum are you kidding me, why didn't you wake me?" A voice echoed from down the hall of the kitchen, it was followed by an a ray of outraged footsteps as a barefooted individual stomped their way towards the kitchen, the door swung open a little too quickly as it banged against the wall. Jace turned his head as he sore what looked like a redheaded scarecrow in the same clothes she had been in last night.

Clary had no idea how the hell she had gotten home from the club but she must have been drugged because she felt like she'd been hit by a train and the last thing she was able to remember was hallucinating a dream about the most perfect looking boy she had ever seen in her life, he looked exactly like a guy she had seen at the coffee shop a week ago. He'd been talking about protecting her and speaking like her crazy mother. She must have been wasted because it wasn't her intention to even return home her mother was going crazy and she had even lured Luke into her land of bullshit.

Clary held her head as an agonising pain had shot through her head; she pulled herself with extreme effort towards the far side of the kitchen to get an aspirin from the cupboard. "Clary honey, why would I need to wake you?" Jocelyn asked offering her daughter a hand as she clambered onto the kitchen side to reach the box at the top. Clary didn't take it she brushed it away and struggled alone with her aching body and pounding head. "I have school" Clary mumbled a little nastier than she'd meant to. She was still really annoyed at her mother and Luke, there craziness about her not being human had played on her mind that much that even Jake from the coffee shop that appeared in her dream was talking about demons and angels, and he was also pretty adamant his name was Jace but she had for definite heard one of them call him Jake.

"I don't think you should go to school Clary sleeping spells take quite a toll on you. You'll need to rest" Jocelyn advised looking up at her daughter who was fumbling through a green medication box. "Yeah well mum your made up stories will have to wait I have classes to pass" Clary jumped back down from the side and collected the tablets from the side and whirled around with every intention to take them straight back to her bedroom, getting ready for school and trying her best to avoid her mother on her way out. She needed a clear head today; school was heard enough on most days she didn't need her mother blagging her head before shed even got there.

Clary's plan immediately faded as she froze instantaneously, she looked down at the guest in the room, she had been completely unaware that the most beautiful guy she had ever laid her eyes on was sharing the same company as her mother and Luke. She stared down at the blonde haired blue eyed guy she hadn't stopped dreaming about since the day she'd met him. He'd left an impression on her like a scolding iron to the brain that she couldn't clear, she was completely besotted by him but she couldn't speak to him everything she said just made her sound like a complete bitch. But this time she couldn't even speak, the words were stuck in the back of her throat and her mind was frozen in a haze of bewilderment and embarrassment. She looked down at him as he picked up a wooden horse on the chessboard and moved it. He smiled at her with a warm smile; Clary stared down at him entranced by him. Even his chess moving was attractive, what guy moved a chess piece attractively, then again what hot guy even knew how to play chess.

"Clary, Jace brought you home last night" Jocelyn broke the silence, Jace hadn't noticed Clary's brain malfunction of her inability to speak or move or pray this was nothing but a dream, that she'd wake up from with her dignity in tacked.

"It's Jake" Clary corrected slowly and quietly, as she continued to be entranced by him, she could have sworn he glowed a magical gold just like an angel. Maybe her mother was right, if there was anyone half angel it was definitely him.

"It's Jace; remember last night I told you" Jace watched Luke take his next move on the chess board before he turned his head a little to look at Clary. Her red hair was a birds nest of curly red locks and was sticking out at all angles, and her green eyes were wide and a little startled, to say the least she looked a little shocked, but so was Jace she still looked just as perfect with sleep in her eyes and hair in knots. He wasn't even annoyed that she'd called him Jake, he just looked at her in a magnanimous fashion. Wait what was he doing, he never did this. Jace remembered himself and forced his eyes away from Clary and back to the board game.

"That was real? What you mean to say is all that angel talk and warlock magic was real!?" Clary remarked a little anxiously and over loudly, realising what he had just said. She'd finally been able to lessen her own embarrassment by finally taking her attention away from him and looking around and Luke and Jocelyn also. They all looked at her with the same blank expression making her seem like the crazy one.

"I'd say so, Magnus said your memories were coming back" After an awkward silence had clung to the hysteria in the room, before Jace cleared his throat and responded to Clary's questioning. He was still not looking at her and holding on to every piece of dignity that he could.

"Magnus, that's the last thing I remember he had strange, yellow eyes like a cat and he clicked his fingers and said somlum or somdum" Clary announced, she clicked her fingers at Jace as he memory was forming around the words she was trying to remember and she thought hard to pronounce the word Magnus had said to her correctly.

"Somnum, it's Latin for sleep you were getting fragments of your memory about the shadow world back. It was too much for you to handle" Jace corrected her, he finally looked up at her and his face changed to immediate guilt as she blushed instantly. Clary's eyes darted to the floor she'd done a pretty good job of making herself seem extremely stupid in about to minutes, there goes all of the hope of actually getting this guy to like her along with her sanity and grasp on what was real and wasn't. Her head whirled even more than it had before she'd entered this room

"Well I don't remember anything about the shadow world?" Clary shot back in a defence, she couldn't have him thinking she was stupid and she most definitely couldn't have him think she cared in the slightest about what he thought especially if he did think she was stupid.

Jace didn't think she was stupid having a lack of memory was an absolute awful thing to have, when he trained with Jonathan one of them almost always ended up with some cause of concussion and he'd been slung against a few walls by a fair few demons in his hunting lifetime.

"Your Mundane friend would have" Jace suggested sympathetically, he knew having someone you were used to telling you, you weren't going crazy or repeating your memories back to you often softened the blow and in Ckary's case reassured you, you weren't losing your mind or high as a kite on hallucinating drugs.

"Simon" Clary sighed before dashing out of the kitchen and back to her bedroom, the three still left in the kitchen jumped a little as she slammed the door behind her.

"You can speak Latin? Let me guess your father? Luke chirped with a raised eyebrow and an advocating look on his face. If he'd been told this ten minutes ago he would have been surprised but this time he found it extremely easier to accept the answer and not because he know knew Jace was some kind of mastermind teenage genius

Jace nods a little timidly, why was he interested in his father?

Luke raised his eyebrows and nodded like he'd accepted this response, secretly he was grinning from ear to ear inside of him. His theory was becoming more and more likely by the second Stephen Herondale was obsessed with the Latin language. Of course languages weren't hereditary but the attention span and memory of Stephen Herondale was something to be desired and it was something Jace seemed to have as an attribute.

Jace looked up at Jocelyn who had instantly fallen into a silence since Clary's hurried departure; she was holding her fingers against her mouth and messing uncomfortably with a ring on her right hand middle finger. She knew her daughter would be going to school and she knew she wasn't safe there not from demons that's the first place they'd look. Jace took notice he'd learned a lot from Isabelle about reading people, the thought of her daughter leaving again clearly upset her.

"Check mate" Jace announces some while later, he'd been waiting for almost ten minutes in an awkward silence for Luke to make his move. He had guessed it as soon as he'd moved, he had lured him into a trap and now there was no possible way for him to get out. They'd been listening to Clary crashing around and padding up and down the apartment after her belongings and now it had all gone quiet again.

"Shit" Luke mumbled under his breath.

"Bye Luke, Bye mum" Clary called, Jocelyn began to walk towards the hall but the door slammed shut and the letter box clanged against it, her face instantly paled and for a moment she resembled a face of a fragile old woman. Jace got to his feet instantly, "Thank you for your hospitality" Jace spoke as his chair screeched against the floor, he lunged for the kitchen door and swung around it like it was a dance pole. "I know you've been studying me since the moment I woke up, but I'm not Stephen Herondale, but you aren't the only one who made a comparison" Jace gestured over to Luke as he swung back around the door. "Who else did?" Luke called after Jace as he was dashing down the hallway of the apartment, he grabbed his shoes from the door way and opened the door.

"Madam Inquisitor" Jace screeched just before closing the door to the apartment.

A strange feeling cast upon the apartment, Luke looked at Jocelyn with a smile but she didn't notice she hadn't heard anything after Clary had slammed the door. If Imogen Herondale the mother of Stephen Herondale had made this comparison there had to be something more to it, Luke had to speak to her.


	11. Chapter 11

"Can you wait?" Jace called after Clary as she flew down the stairs with a quick speed. Jace was comically hopping down the corridor attempting numerous times to put his shoes on. He'd managed to put on the right on without too much danger and difficulty, but the left wasn't playing ball he'd nearly fallen down the stairs twice. When the hell of his foot was safely inside his left shoe, he too took the flight of stairs at a runway speed like he was about to take off like a jet plane.

He strode behind Clary a little when he'd caught up with her, strands of her fiery red hair were sticking out in waves of curls as the rest of it protruded down her back, thick chunks of it either side had been pulled around her head in a braid and tied together in the middle with a black hair band. She wore her hair similarly to Isabelle in parts but her clothing style couldn't be any different, she was dressed in a pair of denim jeans, a baggy black and white striped long sleeved t-shirt and a light grey track-suit jacket, and a pair of brown boots.

Jace's phone begin to ring in his pocket, Clary let out a sigh of annoyance as she opened the door at the end of the hall way and skipped out onto the steps. Jace pulled his phone out of his pocket as well as getting a face full of a heavy door as it swung back as Clary mindlessly shoved it closed behind her. "Jace" Jace heard Isabelle's familiar perky voice come through from the other side of the phone. "Iz" Jace grumbled through gritted teeth as he watched Clary practically skip down the pathway as he rubbed his head and pushed the door away from him. "What's going on?" Izzy questioned at the strangeness in Jace's tone she knew he wasn't the biggest morning person but he wasn't usually this grumpy. "You guys come and meet me" Jace instructed ignoring Izzy's question. "Yeah sure, where?"

"Pull your skirt down Iz, we're going to school"

"Cedar academy!?" Izzy exclaimed almost like she was in instant pain at just the thought. Jace put the phone down as he heard Alec and Izzy begin to squabble about how she knew where Clary's school was, Jace had presumed Izzy had carried out her usual character analysis and research. She always did that.

He waded down the path, he opened the gate and it clanged shut swiftly behind him. Jace almost jumped out of his skin as the sound rang loud and clear in his ears, he looked up at Clary who hadn't been phased by it at all she was practically cantering down the street but her feet were heavy and the heel of her boots clopped against the floor. Jace looked up, the sun shone down a bright pale glow peeking out from the blanket of white clouds. The humbling sound of early morning New York traffic filtered through back streets of downtown, the air was thick and humid and it clung to Jace's skin like a leech.

"So this is your job then following around girls?" Clary snubbed as she let Jace run after her like a puppy on a leash. She had her arms folded like she was annoyed, she wasn't annoyed she quite enjoyed it actually any girl would love for him to follow them around.

"Not usually it depends what the Clave ask, so far you're the only one" Jace replied, he was finally foot level with Clary. Clary's face warmed with a little smug smile at the fact she was the only girl he'd chased all over New York.

"So what you're like my own personal body guard?" Clary mused she moved strands of her hair from her face as she looked back to look up at him. She didn't receive the same smug look; it was more of a disgruntled frown.

"I'm nobody's bodyguard, I'm protecting my people" Jace spat a little hostile, his frown had deepened as he fell deeper into thought and saw the startled reaction from Clary. He had trained his entire life to protect the mundane world and his own. Clary was thinking of him like he was some kind of guard dog, he didn't enjoy his worth being greatly discredited if he wanted that he would of just stayed home. Besides she'd need a hell a lot more than a guard dog if a demon or Circle followers got hold of her.

Clary looked hurt, her eyes narrowed and she immediately closed her mouth. She moved her eye contact away from Jace and slowly continued to walk. She lowered her head so that her wavy red hair fell against her face hiding the fact that she was bothered. This was the first time someone had spoken to her quite so harshly and direct, Luke and Jocelyn usually let her ignorance slide. Jace guessed as much by her reaction, this made him instantly realise just how differently they'd been raised and he wasn't just talking about the fact that she'd been raised to think that zombies, werewolves, warlocks, demons, and angels were all a figment of the imagination.

"Look I'm sorry. You just don't seem to understand how serious this is" Jace apologized as guilt twang through his chest as his heart raced a little and he felt an instant sense of hurt himself. He took her by the arm to stop her from trailing off without her, Clary fought against him gently at first before subsiding and giving in, she turned into Jace's grasp and looked up at him with pained eyes.

"How do you expect me to understand? I thought my mother was crazy, all of this is insane I mean Angels and Demons" Clary announced, her voice cracked and she looked like she was about to cry floods of tears, these were tears Jace wasn't prepared for. "Hey Hey it's alright, I can help you understand if there's anything you need to know just ask" Jace said, he looked down at Clary with steady eyes there was something about them that was so trusting. A tear fell from her green lantern eyes and he collapsed into Jace with a warm hug of appreciation, Jace staggered backwards a few seconds before accepting her hug and reaching his right hand around her to comfort her. He'd seen quite a few girls cry in his time he knew how to handle it.

Clary sniffed and embraced in the hug, she felt the warmth of Jace's body through his shirt she had her head against his chest for the second time since she'd met him only this time she'd be able to remember. Her tears soaked through Jace's shirt, she looked down and watched the path of water from her tears grow. She drew back from him instantly nearly tripping over her own feet, Jace looked down at her questioningly she'd moved away so abruptly he couldn't help think he'd down something to her. Fear came over her face, and Jace looked around them utterly confused.

Clary was scared but not of any threat but of what Jace must think of her. She was a complete stranger to him and she was hugging him and crying on him, he must think she was insane. It scared her at the fact she felt so close to him, like a familiar feeling that she'd known him for years she'd forgotten about how beautiful and amazingly attractive he was and that there was no possible way he was single and even if he was there wasn't a cat in hells chance he'd chose someone like her. "I'm sorry, you must think I'm crazy. I'm not an emotional wreck usually I...I...I" Clary stammered in half of an apology, and half a decent explanation to not make him think she was a complete and utter freak that broke down to every strange boy she met.

Jace smiled down at her with a soft gentle expression that made Clary stop in her tracks. It amused him how she put so much effort in making him not think anything about her was strange and out of the ordinary when he went around killing demons and was covered in runes. "You don't need to apologise for crying" Jace reassured her. He too had come to the realisation that he instantly felt a strong connection to Clary he didn't know if it was because her life had been entrusted to him or if it was something else. It felt like a magnetic force shoving them together he felt drawn to her. It was almost unexplainable, he'd never felt this way before towards anyone.

"I guess I am" Clary blushed a little, she flowered her head and looked down at her shoes, she pulled the hair from her face when it brushed against her nose.

"Clary" A voice called out from ahead of them, Jace looked up a little before the red head managed to. Clary fussed with her hair and wiped her cheeks before she followed Jace's glance. She was greeted with the familiar face of pale skin, thick sleek eyebrows, the messiest muddy brown hair any individual could possibly have and kindest brown eyes she'd ever seen that were rimmed with a pair of black square framed glasses. At the end of the avenue that Jace and Clary had been walking out of charged a angry looking mundane, he was staring right at Jace his eyebrows were arched and his face was screwed up in his attempt to stare Jace out. Jace stared at him with a face of complete puzzlement, he was a little weirded out by his little tough guy 'I'm watching you' routine.

"Hey what have you done to upset my bestfriend?" Simon wielded accusations at Jace as he neared them he wrapped a forceful arm around Clary's shoulders pulling her a little making Jace drop his hands from her. He held them up in a note of surrender and innocence like he hadn't done anything. Simon wasn't taking any chances on this creepy guy, The first he'd heard of him was Clary confessing to him how she'd met this guy at the coffee shop and he was truly mesmerising he'd been the most attractive person she'd thought she'd ever met. When she'd explained the story to him she'd been in a complete state of panic that she must of looked like the craziest person he would have ever met and who was she kidding a guy like that wouldn't look twice at her. He'd spoken to her but that wasn't because he wanted to it was out of courtesy obviously. These were the things she'd been rambling on for about two hours after she'd gotten to his house, he didn't think any of it was true. Any guy would be lucky to be in Clary's company, he was her best friend and it hurt him to watch her agonise over some jerk who wasn't even worth the air that Clary breathed. Besides Jace wasn't all that special definitely not as special as Clary made him out to be, maybe he had perfect blonde hair, and the body that every guy wanted and every girl wanted every guy to have. He spoke in a proper accent and he looked like someone had peeled him out of a model magazine. Who was he kidding Jace was the perfect guy looks wise and Simon couldn't compete to someone like him, but Clary wasn't shallow she cared about personality as one of the main traits and after this guy had drugged them and subjected him to hallucinations of a ridiculous sort of magic that was performed by an Emo looking guy that had glowing eyes like some kind of possessed cat hybrid, Simon didn't hold much hope for Jace getting Clary's vote on personality because he was absolutely insane.

"Simon Jace didn't do anything" Clary jumped to Jace's defence instantly, Jace watched as Simon stared at Clary with a set of pained eyes. Everything he did around her was in complete adornment with her, the way he hardly ever blinked when he was around her afraid at the thought he may miss something like a look or a glance which would suggest she felt the same way, how he held his breath almost instantaneously as she spoke back to him, almost definitely the way he always came to her immediate defence when Jace was around and the way he has to clarify that she's his Best friend every time he did. How was Clary so oblivious so the fact Simon was so in love with her, his actions and movements practically screamed it out at her, he adored his best friend and she had no idea?

"Other than drug us, he's a complete saint" Simon spat out nastily towards them both, it took Clary back a little she wasn't used to Simon acting to viciously he was always a kind and calm kind of guy of course he was sarcastic but who wasn't? She could tell by the way he looked at Jace he was opposed to him, and it was a little more than the fact that he thought he'd drugged them. Simon always experienced some kind of technical fit of anger towards males that looked like Jace, Clary believed it to be some type of territorial war kind of thing because they both came from the other ends of the spectrum. Simon was a self acclaimed geek and Clary guessed Jace fitted into the 'Jock' category mixed with a little bit of pretty boy and tattooed biker, but she very much doubted Jace attended high school after a night of being surrounded by mythical creatures. "To be politically correct I'm half angel, but a saint works too" Jace cracked a smile at his sarcastic joke, he wasn't particularly fond of this guy either but he had to deal with Jonathan on a day to day basis, a annoying geeky little mundane was nothing.

Simon rolled his eyes excessively, and narrowed them a little more.

"He didn't drug us Simon, that's what I thought but it turns out my mum, was telling the truth"

"You're telling me what happened last night actually happened?" Simon asked he laughed a little in disbelief at the practicality of this whole situation, Jace had thought for a mundane he had taken it pretty well last night but he seemed to be like Alec and if Jace knew Alec he'd find any possible reason that something he couldn't explain to be the truth before actually believing it.

Clary nodded in response. Simon and Clary spoke for a few minutes, as Jace relaxed against a wall and tirelessly waited for them to finish their little mundane reunion. They chatted about the previous night, Simon informed Clary of what she had missed whilst being put under a sleeping charm and being held by Jace. He gritted his teeth as he made comments in annoyance about Jace like he wasn't there at all. Clary blushed a little, but in her head she had several different sets of thoughts, like how terrible she must have looked but at the same time she was ecstatic at the thought that Jace had taken her in his arms and carried her to safety like the gentleman she believed him to be.

After Simon had snapped Clary back to reality and out of her thoughts they began to walk and chat nervously about the art exam they both had today. Jace trailed slowly behind them, if his time watching over Clary had to consist of him hopelessly following behind her and her mundane pet 24/7 until she decides to go to the Institute, that's if she ever would, he'd seriously have to consider either killing Simon or himself.

"I'm actually so nervous. I've never felt so distracted" Clary sighed as they stood a few years away from the gates of Cedar Academy. Jace had never seen this part of New York before, or not what that he could remember.

The building was a wide orange bricked building; it was four stories high that had a pair of huge stone steps leading up to it. The school name was carved in a brick sign that had been built on the surrounding grass area, and an American flag hung loosely on a pole next to it. So this was what going to school looked like, Jace thought taking in a deep breath as they neared it. Teenagers from fourteen to eighteen years old piled into the school in groups of all different sizes and ages carrying schools bags and texting on their phones. Laughing, chattering and interacting to one another in exasperated tones like they hadn't seen each other like they were attending a high school reunion. It was making Jace's head spin just by looking at the place, he could barely study properly when he was being accompanied by Jonathan how the hell did people learn in an environment like this.

Two people who stood out from the crowd huddled by the gate caught Jace's attention; they were both dressed in black and were angrily shoving their way through the uncoordinated teenage Mundanes. It was Alec and Izzy and they were heading straight towards them. Izzy was wearing a face of lightening striking in a storm as she waded past everyone, fighting to be free. Alec just looked insanely disinterested about his surroundings and the objective of the mission they'd been given. Alec wasn't a morning person but that wasn't the only thing on his mind, he was seriously distracted people were walking into him and he wasn't even reacting it was like he hadn't even felt it.

"Jace" Izzy called in an angered tone as she escaped from the crowed after forcefully shoving against a guy wearing cameo jeans and a white track suit top. She waved her hand in the air towards him, and Jace nodded to alert her that he'd seen her. They were hardly unnoticeable, even Simon blended in better with these people than Alec and Isabelle.

"Alec" Isabelle jabbed Alec in the arm when they'd reached Jace, Clary and the geeky Mundane. He hadn't noticed they had even stopped walking, he'd been like this since they'd left the institute he was in a complete glazed over state like a zombie walking around in a world of his own. She'd spoken to him for about ten minutes prior to arriving and he hadn't heard one word he was either ignoring her or he was stuck in his own head. Which she'd become accustom just lately, he was always acting this was.

Alec took attention to the fact that he arrived, he gave Jace a tired half hearted smile as a greeting and looked awkwardly at the other two people in Jace's company, he wasn't in the mood for anyone least of all a spoilt mundane thinking brat and her little pet rodent that she's so insistent on bringing everywhere with her. Alec would like to think about himself of having a good judge on character and he wasn't pleased on the judgement he'd made on these pair and he was almost definitely wasn't happy with the effect they seemed to have of Jace. It was dangerous when Jace was distracted; Jace never got distracted he was focussed, he always considered all aspects of the mission, he kept a cool head and never waded in too quickly. Instead he'd been hot headed and jumping before the gun was fired, this worried Alec.

"Mother sorted it for you" Isabelle informed Jace, she pulled a slip of paper out of the chest area of her top Clary and Simon stared in astonishment, Jace and Alec just rolled their eyes.

She adjusted her black laced bodysuit and her skin tight black pencil skirt. "She's enrolled you in academy as Jason Wayland, who has been previously home schooled and wishes to take his examinations in a schooling environment" She swished her locks of black hair to the side as she began to speak in a voice that impersonated that of her mothers. Jace had listened but nothing had sunk in after she'd said 'Jason Wayland' Jason? Was she kidding, his nickname was Jace he'd never been called Jason in his entire life that was even worse that having the exact same name as your own brother.

"Jason!?" Jace demanded in a horrified tone, to match his just as horrified expression.

"She had to make you sound more Mundane"

"Forget about the name, but in case you didn't notice us Mundane aren't covered in tattooed symbols like a Chinese phonebook" Simon replied in a narked tone, his voice shifted a little into disgust when he pronounced the word 'Mundane'

Alec, Isabelle and Jace sniggered a little, as he stared at them with a complete blank look of complete confusion. Clary looked just as confused.

"They aren't tattoo's they're runes. He'll just hide them" Alec said irately.

Clary and Simons facial expressions didn't change, they just blinked at them repeatedly.

"What, how do you think you've never seen you're Mothers? She'd covered in these things" Isabelle informed, it was common knowledge that Jocelyn Fray had disappeared, and it had been rumoured she hadn't been seen with one rune on her skin since the day she fled with her unborn child into the mundane world.

The group backed back around the corner they'd just walked around and out of the view of any Mundanes prying eyes apart from Simon's which was practically a given. Alec took his stele from his back pocket and tapped it gently against his wrist before burning a mark into Jace's skin. Simon and Clary looked on in wonder as the thick ink lines that covered Jace's skin began to instantly evaporate. Simon had the urge to blink to see if he was seeing things but he couldn't he didn't was to miss it. Jace had instantly become black line free; in Simon's mind it instantly knocked him down to an eight out of ten and made him a little less threatening. In Clary's mind he was exactly the same a solid gold 10 wrapped in a golden bow.

"What about you guys?" Jace asked as she shifted in his new found mundane persona, he felt horrid and completely strange without his runes they were apart of who he was. His father would never of allowed him to hide his true identity, it would have disgusted him but Jace guessed he had no choice.

"We aren't coming in that mad house with you, are you serious it's crawling with Mundane" Isabelle yelled almost angry that the thought of her mixing with Mundane had even crossed Jace's usually intelligent mind.

"But the Inquisitor..."

"Said we were assigned to help you, not follow her around like a foolish little lap dog. That's your job" Alec interjected as Jace began on his crusade to make the others feel guilty, he wouldn't buy it there wasn't a chance he'd pretend to be 'educated' by a race of people who hadn't got a clue what was around them in their own city, let alone the rest of the world. If it wasn't about the Clave laws, knife throwing, demon slaying, or archery Alec wasn't at all interested.

Jace cursed them in his mind, they usually did everything as a team but he wouldn't force them to follow suit if it would really make them feel that uncomfortable. It was turning his own stomach just at the thought of entering that building, he'd hate t imagine what his father would think of him.

"We'll be in there if you need us" Isabelle giggled at look on Jace's face, he'd instantly flushed white and he looked afraid Jace was never afraid.

Jace tore himself from his thoughts and looked at Isabelle, she was pointing to a cafe called 'Dalphine's Diner' with her an index finger that had a matte black long nail with a glittered edge attached to the end of it.

"Good luck" Alec mumbled, he patted him softly on the back before following Izzy as they waited to cross the road.

Jace took a deep breath in, It was Jason Wayland's first day of school and he couldn't be more terrified.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Jace stood in front of the education complex, it towered above him and he gulped back his breath and the urge for him to turn right around and run. He didn't fear this place but there was something unnerving about being swarmed by mundane like he was trapped in a bee's nest praying to the angels they didn't approach him. Jace didn't cope well with being over crowded, it's what came with living in a 3,000 square feet manor house avoiding the only two other people who occupied it with him.

Simon studied the dull grey look that was smeared across Jace's face, the reluctance in his eyes, the hesitance in his movement and the tenseness of his body. Simon had seen kids who went this school look exactly the same way as him, but they'd at least been inside the building before, he couldn't imagine a blade wielding, and demon killing, part angel hybrid attended a public school. Simon knew he was somewhat educated, he knew Latin not many teenagers were fluent in Latin.

He of course knew some of the words himself but he was a geek and by choice, Jace looked like the rest of the jock males in his year and they thought Latin was some kind of press up. "Homeschooled?" Simon asked eventually, he didn't want to speak to Jace if he could help it but he was here for Clary and if he was seen incapable of looking after his own best friend he could at least make sure someone else was.

Jace breathed out before glancing up at Simon, he had just about heard the question as his head was full of his own thoughts he was that preoccupied that he only gave a small shrug.

"You must have been educated somehow, or is Latin like a second language for you people?" Simon continued on in his investigation, he gave a little look at Clary who looked just as nervous. The art exam was an extremely big deal to her; why else would she risk her life? She wasn't putting herself, the whole school, Jace and Simon in danger just to spite her mother. "Runic is our second language given to us by the Angel Raziel" Jace said irritably like Simon should already be aware of this. "I'm self educated, I learn what my father asks" Jace continued in a softer tone after processing Simon was a mundane he didn't have a clue about their world, this didn't mean Jace didn't want him to shut up because he seriously did he could do without the irritation. Why was he so interested in Jace anyway? It was only ten minutes ago he was accusing him of being some fiend who went around drugging teenagers.

Jace's response made Simon even more intrigued, no respect for authority was another trait the rest of the knuckle head's that attended his school had that Jace didn't. But he looked just like one of them guys, but more angelic in some way. It was hard to describe but it didn't matter Simon still didn't like the guy.

Jace crossed the now empty school yard following slowly behind Clary and Simon. Partly because he was slightly afraid and partly because he wanted to avoid anymore interaction with Clary Fray's pet human.

A tall male stood at the top of the white concrete steps that led up to the building, he stood with his arms folded and an impatient look on his face, he was looking down at his watch irritably as the now three students approached him.

The male who Jace only presumed was the boss around here, stood straight backed, heels together, head slightly raised and his nose in the air, he glanced down at the three of them through a squinted beady eye. His attention turn immediately to Jace who was now engrossed in his own mind trying his hardest to remember the correct term for an individual who was in charge of a high school, he scowered the depths of his brain revisiting all of the conversations he'd endured with Izzy as she thundered on and on about mundane lifestyle. He could hear words and sentences she had told him and he was almost sure his father had made him learn this; he could imagine how angry his father would be if he knew he was forgetting just the basics. Maybe it was his nerves prohibiting him from getting t the answer, maybe he knew already but his mind was too blocked up with anxiety and pressure he just couldn't think. These feelings he was feeling were somewhat close to what a usual sixteen year old teenager feels almost every day. He'd rather face death fighting demons than enter this school.

"Come here boy" A voice echoed inside his head, it dragged Jace out of his daze, it sounded aggressive and demanding very like his father. When Jace finally realised his surroundings again he was stood awkwardly at the bottom of the concrete steps that Simon and Clary were gliding upwards with big strides but with a look of no effort. Jace didn't exactly want to conform to the man's orders because of the way he'd addressed him but he felt himself doing it anyway. As much as a rebel Jace liked to think of himself he was impelled to oblige to male authority. There was something transfixing about this guy; Jace could tell he'd taken an instant dislike to him.

"And you are?" Principal O'Connor asked as a student he'd never seen approached him slowly up a pair of concrete steps. He'd seen his type thousands of times ten years of experience running a school made him alert to all types of students from first glance.

He'd have girls falling at his feet but his grades would drop even quicker, he'd be an amazing athlete but not even be able to participate in any final games because he hadn't passed any of his mock exams. He'd scrape by and if he was lucky be able to attend prom. Graduation however was questionable, this type who had rich parents and could pay some gullible geek to tutor him got in by with the skin of the teeth and the others didn't get close. They had some kind of allergy to authority, studying and accessing their potential, it was just a waste. They were all the same high school was indeed their high time and after the popularity fades out, the looks fade and the charm wears off they fall flat on their faces in a dead end job and living with their parents for as long as they could get away with.

Admittedly this one looked a little different, he was so diverse he had this kind of innocence about him but presented his self in such a way that made him look like he was in love with himself. But Principal O'Connor was never wrong about these kinds of things.

"Jace Wayland... urm Jason Wayland" Jace replied in a strained tone, he'd all ready forgotten his temporary name. He didn't think he'd ever get used to it, he just prayed to the angels he didn't have to be here very long.

"Jace or Jason? Use your correct title to introduce yourself" The principal called Jace out on his error of introduction, he'd already made his mind up by the accent that he was the type with the rich parents.

"Jason" Jace answered sheepishly, he was a little annoyed but taken back by how rude this guy was being, who did he think he was? In all technicality he was in charge of Jace but only in pretence, he would just have to grit his teeth and bear it until Clary wised up. "Follow me Wayland" The guy in charge called out as he began to walk towards the building.

Jace glanced around at Clary, he didn't feel right leaving her side but he could hardly explain to the reasons to the principal of a mundane educational faculty.

Clary nodded to him as he walked slowly towards the door, Simon glanced at him with a defensive look as he put his arm around Clary's shoulders. Jace understood he must be stepping on Simon's toes because if anyone tried to tell Jace he was incapable of protecting Alec and Isabelle he wouldn't like to hear it.

Jace followed the lead of the principal, the doors he had just walked through lead to an empty corridor lined with lockers and pin boards. Jace's shoes screeched along the floor, footprints covered over the matt blue colour. Jace caught his reflection in a window to a class room, even though he'd only temporarily extended his name to make it sound more Mundane he looked like a completely different person. Without the Runes, his leather jacket and Alec and Izzy at his heels he barely recognised himself. He wasn't the same person that left Wayland Manor only yesterday. It wasn't the fact that he looked more like a Mundane that shocked Jace the most, it was the fact that he wasn't sure if he minded.

In some kind of strange way, it was some sort of relief that the people here didn't look at him as the young shadow hunter kid who had the mother who had committed suicide, a father who was an ex circle member who had sided with Valentine Morgenstern and a scarily insane older brother who he shared the same name with.

Here nobody expected anything from him, other than the usual Mundane things like pass exams, get good grades, and compel to everything socially acceptable but that was nothing compared to battling demonic creatures, having the risk of the loss of people's lives if you didn't perform as expected. Of course that's why he was here, to protect Clary but nobody knew. In some kind of sick way, even though he was trapped in a building with mundane and acting like a lap dog to Clary and her mundane pet he felt kind of free. He'd never admit it t anybody, he was surprised he could even admit it to himself but he couldn't help it, he wasn't as disgusted by the idea of going to a mundane school as he'd expected. He didn't exactly understand why humans moaned so much about pressure and anxiety about attending schools they should try doing what he did every day, they wouldn't moan as much then.

Then again Mundanes always moaned at anything and everything, they'd still find a way to make everything about them. That was what was wrong with Mundane society everyone believed they were some kind of victim and the world owed them something, It wasn't like that in Jace's world no one was a victim and no one owed them anything, you just did what you were born to do which was to protect the Mundanes. No questions, you just trained and battled until you died and that was just the way.

The principal lead Jace down on last narrow corridor after a few twists and turns down long hallways through different departments and past many classrooms, this place was like a maze usually Jace had a good sense of direction but he wasn't sure he could remember his way back, they finally came to a holt outside of a brown oak door that was titled 'Office of Principal R. O'Connor' etched into a golden plaque that was eyesight level for someone of Jace's height.

The boy sat a little differently than most teenagers he'd met, his back was straight, his hands were gently placed at his sides and his feet were together but his attention was somewhere else He seemed a little occupied with his own thoughts as he stared at a blank space on the wall, now this was exactly like every other teenager there possibly was. Thinking about anything else but the important matter at hand, it was fairly common. The principal clicked his fingers in the direction of Jace to snap him out of his gaze, It took a while but he soon resumed back t reality and looked up at the principal with a little confusion presenting from his face.

Jace had been thinking about where Clary had got to and if there was any possible chance someone could have taken her in the time since he'd left her, a demon disguised as a student could be inches away from touching her. He'd even considered if Simon would be able to protect her or at least hold them off until he could rescue them but he'd dismissed that idea after rudely laughing at the thought in his head. Simon was incapable of protecting anyone and anything than his reputation as a geek. Just as he'd finally discussed the idea that Clary was probably fine and the Clave wouldn't have his head for failing his duty to protect her he'd heard clicking snapping in sound against his ears and he'd been forced to look back at the rather rude male who was the head of this mundane hell hole.

"Mr. Wayland, there's a few details that need to be cleared up before you begin on your learning journey here at Cedar Academy" he grumbled through a low husky tone with hints of sincerity. Jace couldn't help but find it a little bit funny because he was extremely hoping that his 'learning journey' would be cut sincerely short when he persuades Clary away from the idea of being eaten by demons or kidnapped by a circle member. Due to personal preference and everything he's heard and learned about the circle becoming Demon dinner was the better option.

Jace's face was a little distorted from the anger of having to put up with this new authority clicking and ordering him around like Jace was some sort of dog in the pound. He was also half in laughter at his learning journey. "Excuse me, Is there something about this conversation amusing to you?" The principal retorted he was a little to offended at the fact a student was laughing at him. Jace never usually laughed in the face of authority, in his world you wouldn't dare but at this he couldn't help it he lived his life every single day training and learning in order to protect this species from danger and here this human was ordering him about like he was a small minority.

Of course he didn't know any better but it was times like this that Jace wished he could just say, but the sacred secret wouldn't that if they shouted at every ignorant arsehole they came across. There were many Mundanes with this same outlook. Jace just shook his head slightly with every intent to keep his mouth shut, there wasn't any point taking on this guy hopefully Jace would be here less than a day it would just be collateral damage they didn't need on this obvious suicide mission. The principal was pretty satisfied with this response as he nestled beck in his chair with his hands interlaced with one another and resting on his chest. He may as well have put his feet on the desk. He was showing his status and making it known to Jace that he wouldn't be shown up by a student and that this was his territory. Jace gave up and allowed him to believe he was giving him the power, this is what he did to Jonathan when he was causing a scene and Jace didn't have the energy to fight back and give Jonathan a practical reason to hate him even more than he did already if there was such a possibility. In this case though Jace didn't have the time to go round and round in circles with this guy.

"What do you want to get of this school Jason?" The principal asked cocking his head to the side a little as so suggest if he looked at Jace on the side he'd be more likely to give a better answer. It took every fighting power that ace contained to hi not to reply with 'To quite literally get out of this school' but instead he plastered a small smile on his face and answered with 'An education' it came out in a small timed response which shocked Jace, this wasn't what he'd intended. He cleared his throat quite instinctively and avoided eye contact with this guy.

After Jace had given his information and answered fifty thousand questions like he was being interrogated by the clave he was finally released out of Principal Jackass's office and was lead to his first official mundane lesson as Jason Wayland. A student of a normal mundane high school. If his father could see him now he'd have come up with countless possibilities of ending his life for the embarrassment he would have cast upon the Wayland name. If any other shadow hunters other than the Lightwood's found out that the supposed most promising Shadowhunter of his generation was sat in a Latin class full of Mundane he'd be the laughing stock of Idris.

"Your mother tells me you have a good understanding of the Latin language" The principal called out to Jace as he lagged behind him lazily like a lame horse. "My mother" Consumed in his own thoughts he retorted this in a little confusion, his mother was dead. "Yes, Mrs Wayland. She called this morning concerning your immediate enrolment" He responded a little dazed at Jace's exasperated expression The Principal walked through the door to classroom 30B and beckoned Jace to follow him like he was some kind of obeying lap dog that responded to a whistle when he was called. It took Jace a while to catch on, he meant Maryse Lightwood.

"Oh yeah" Jace mumbled

"So are you?" he asked.

"Am I what? "Good at Latin, she also told me you have a sharp mind but judging by this conversation that's not the whole truth" He finally spoke, Jace ignored his snide comment he would never admit it to himself but he was actually nervous. It didn't make sense how he could risk his life every day with no hesitation but a simple class full of 30 Mundanes made him feel uneasy. The Principal knocked on the door before entering, Jace reluctantly followed.

"Good morning 30B, this is a new student Jason Wayland I hope you'll made him feel very welcome" The principal spoke in a happy cheering voice that not one mundane student appreciated as they stared at him in repulse, how could anyone have a happy attitude in a morning. "Yes Principal O'connor" The all groaned in unison like they were all a part of the same brain created by an evil mastermind. Jace had to double take the students and the Principal after this had happened, was this for real? What the hell had the Lightwoods gotten him into. "Take a seat next to Simon" The Principal ordered, pointing to a desk second from the front that Simon sat at, his back was straight and his mind was focused. The sight of it made Jace want to throw up, he was that much of a geek he was almost holding a grudge against the students in front of him for getting right to the front at the start of the semester.

Simon internally grounded as the dangerous pretty boy walked in his direction; Simon was now cursing Clary for getting them caught up in this. Jace didn't look to happy about it either, he pulled out his chair as it screeched sharply against the floor he slumped down into his seat and avoided eye contact with Simon. "Welcome to your first class Jason" The middle aged male teacher dressed in a checked shirt and a pair of grey suit trousers that were a little big as they puddle over his shiny black shoes. Jace sarcastically smiled back at him like there was no where he'd rather be.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"There's no need to be nervous" Luke spoke out in a little hushed growl as he looked over at his best friend, the woman he'd lose his life over protecting. Jocelyn Fairchild looked back at him, his cool blue eyes projected themes of calm and after all these years they were still just as convincing as when she'd first met him. "I'm not nervous" Jocelyn interjected in a protest as she stopped fiddling with her clothes and picked her head u and looked forward. Jocelyn had a kind of grace that Luke adored; she always resented herself well and never let anyone think of her negatively.

The distant sounds of cars and hustle and bustle could be heard from a few blocks away as they both resided to silence waiting for someone to answer the door of the institute. They stood on white concrete steps side by side in front of the magnificent tall building in front of them.

The door was wrenched open but it creaked open slowly, A small child stood staring up at the two of them, a little grin that was original plastered on his face had instantly faded as the two guests weren't who he desperately expected.

"What?" Max spat out in a distaste as he so wished for it to be Jace. He knew that ace hadn't returned last night because he wasn't at breakfast with Isabelle and Alec.

"Maxwell Joseph Lightwood, how many times have I told you not to answer the door. Do you understand how dangerous it could be?" A stern voice called from down the hallway of the institute. Luke and Jocelyn listened as a pair of footsteps clopped down the corridor.

"Mother when will Jace be home?" Max asked in a pleading tone, a tone his mother didn't have time for.

"Max, your tutor is waiting with your father. Run along"

"But mother..." Max protested, he didn't want to be learning he just wanted Jace to come back he needed to tell him he'd alost read all of the anime book he'd gotten him.

"Go" Maryse ordered, she watched a while as Max stomped off back the way she'd came.

"Yes?" She then went onto say without looking at the strangers at the door. When her eyes met with how she'd spoken with she went silent. There was no need to ask who these two were, and there wasn't a reason to ask why they'd came.

No one could mistake that red hair for anybody, and when it was accompanied by the smell of wet dog there was no mistake that she was looking at Jocelyn Fairchild and Lucien Greymark.

"Jocelyn I see you've rediscovered this world again" Maryse said through gritted teeth, as she looked at the woman she used to know. Admittedly she'd aged a little, but that sickening innocent look that she always wore hadn't changed one little bit. People looked at the fact she'd hidden in the mundane world and managed to raise a child and live normally without being found was somewhat of achievement.

Maryse didn't applaud this theory not even a little bit, they way she saw she ran from the mistakes that each circle member had made but at least they'd owned up to it. She'd been a coward and ran from her own kind to hide in a species that were pitifully below them. And then had the cheek to run back to them for help from the clave when her child ran away because she thought her mother had gone inane when she was finally told the truth. What did she expect to happen? All mundane children are raised from babies to understand that there was no such thing as angels, demons, werewolves and warlocks,

She didn't even believe the excuse she'd run to protect her daughter, Maryse was a mother and would do anything to protect her children and the last thing she would do would be to hide in the mundane world. The Shadow world and the Shadowhunters were the best sense of protection anyone could get.

No because of her stupidity all three of her children were wasting their time and risking their lives trying to convince her everything she'd been taught and brought up to not believe it was in fact real. Not to mention protect her from the ex circle members and followers of Valentine.

"I suppose you'd better come in" Maryse grunted stepping aside and allowing the two estranged guests into the institute. Jocelyn quickly realised that Maryse was still the same hard, stuck up and very career driven as she'd always been. They had never really been friends they were associates at one time, they'd spoken a little in passing and saw each other frequently at Circle meetings. They weren't exactly best friends or anything; they were just civil for the course. Valentine had pleaded with Jocelyn to be this way with Maryse whenever she complained about how terribly up her own arse she was.

"I have a meeting with the Inquisitor. She said she was staying here at the institute on official business" Luke interrupted the longing looks that the two woman were giving each other, there dislike to one another couldn't be any more obvious.

"This way" Maryse ordered them as she closed the door behind them and led the way down the hall way and further into the Institute.

Maryse hadn't a clue what this meeting was about, the Inquisitor had joined them last night unexpectedly she hadn't announced why her stay was required she'd just said she wasn't leaving for a while and there were no questions to asked. And now she was meeting with a werewolf.

Maryse lead them up a set of stairs and onto the first floor, her shoes echoed around the institute as the chided against the floor. She was dressed in a black skin tight dress that came down past her knees, she had a pair of black wedged heals on her feet and her black raven hair was pulled back into a high ponytail that had been turned into a thick black braid that ended at the bottom of her back. She didn't look like the particular tour guide but very much like a shadow hunting female unlike Jocelyn.

She was wearing a white lacy shirt, a pair of blue skinny jeans and flat converse shoes that Clary had insisted she'd buy. Her hair was pinned up in a tight bun with two strands of curly hair left out each side. She looked exactly what she was disguising herself to be, a trying too hard mundane mother who wanted to be her daughter's best friend.

Maryse stood outside a door and waited a while for Luke and Jocelyn to catch up, when they finally arrived Maryse gestured towards the door to the right one. The both stepped towards the door.

"The Inquisitor only requested or Luke, your room is this way" Maryse informed, rolling her eyes a little. She wasn't quite sure who was the lapdog here. She turned around and began to walk away from them.

"I'll see you in a while, I won't be long" Luke said reassuringly, he put his hand on her shoulder and rubbed it gently. Jocelyn let out a small smile. "

She doesn't like to be kept waiting" Maryse called back from down the hall as she watched this sickening act. Why did the woman need insurance from a male werewolf. She was a Shadowhunter woman that was born to slay demons and protect her world and the mundane world, she had such a powerful gift she'd lived in the mundane world to long and she'd forgotten who she was. If Jocelyn was this way she could only imagine how her daughter was. Jace was in for more than he'd expected.

"Enter" A stern voice called from the other side of the brown oak door. It was almost threatening, sort of like an enter if you dare. Luke dared but he felt as though he was intruding, he grabbed hold of the handle and slowly pushed open the heavy door. He followed it as it creaked into the room; he wasn't sure what he was going to expect to see on the other side.

Luke had met the Inquisitor frequently before she was the inquisitor. He once knew her as Imogen Herondale, the mother of Stephen Herondale and the former mother-in-law to Amatis Greymark. Amatis is Luke's sister.

Luke closed the door quietly behind him, A guard stood about 2 feet away from him. "Leave us" The Inquisitor commanded a little softer than Luke expected. Imogen Herondale was always a strong woman, even before assuming the role as Inquisitor. But since the deaths of her son and husband she'd become hardened and cold or so Luke had been told. She didn't seem that way to him not right at this moment.

"Lucian" She mumbled in a low tone, it was just audible. Luke looked on at her. She was stood at the window in the bedroom, her back was to him and she wore a long grey cloak that trailed a few metres across the floor. The hood of the cloak was up over her head, she stood with her arms by her sides, her back straight and her head held high.

"Yes Madam Inquisitor" Luke replied softly, he bowed his head. Even though he was now a werewolf Luke had once been a Shadowhunter and he respected the Inquisitor just as much as anyone else. "How is Amatis" The Inquisitor questioned, she didn't feel like turning around, she didn't feel like having this meeting with the Shadowhunter turned werewolf who had once been friends with her son, but she knew it was important.

"I haven't seen her" Luke replied after a long pause, he was confused as to why she was asking after Amatis that wasn't why he was here and The Inquisitor wasn't known for idle chitchat.

I always liked that girl, she was what was best for Stephen" The Inquisitor remarked, she looked down a little saddened. Ever since she'd seen the Wayland boy at the Wayland manor something daunting had came over her. She couldn't forget about it, not one little bit. It kept replaying over and over in her mind and every time she thought about it she didn't see Jace she saw a sixteen year old Stephen. The gut of her stomach churned over as she felt a little sick, there was something not right about it.

"I came to talk about the.." Luke began trying to deter the conversation away from his sister. He hadn't seen her for a long time, and Luke was convinced that she didn't and wouldn't want to see him. She was disgusted about him being a turned downworlders and couldn't see past it. She didn't see her little brother that she'd raised mostly on her own, she saw the beast that most other downworlders saw. This sincerely hurt Luke, just the thought or mention pulled at his heart strings.

"To talk about the boy" The Inquisitor interrupted him abruptly.

Luke had gotten in touch with he to talk about the Wayland kid, the both agreed he looked like Stephen Herondale...

"Maryse" Jocelyn called up the corridor as she was still following behind the head of the Institute. The sound of her heels hammering against the marble floor and echoing around the building was starting to give her a headache, and the pace she was going at was getting her out of breath. She practically ran down these halls in her high heels.

"What?" Maryse asked a little rudely, like she had no time to be interrupted, she stopped walking and turned around to watch a red faced out of breathe Jocelyn catch up with her.

"I don't need a room yet, I'm not coming here without Clary" Jocelyn stammered a little, breathing heavily. Her hand was placed on her chest as she crouched down a little.

Maryse took hold of a door handle and shoved it open, gesturing to Jocelyn to walk through in front of her. Jocelyn walked slowly toward the door, she wasn't sure if Maryse had head her or not but she was adamant she wouldn't come here until she had Clary by her side.

Maryse closed the door behind them and marched across it, thankfully the flooring in here was carpet because the clopping of her shoes was still ringing in Jocelyn's ears. She walked toward the window and yanked open the curtains letting the daylight seep through the glass and brighten up the room almost instantly. Jocelyn looked around; the room was spacious with a four postered double bed in the middle of it.

"Maryse, I'm not sure you understood me" Jocelyn said as she followed Maryse with her eyes as she raced around the room as she smoothing everything out correctly. The woman seemed to take no notice of her, it was like she didn't even hear what she said. "I said..." Jocelyn began again, trying to get her to understand that she meant what she said. "Yes, I know what you said" Maryse snapped a little, stopping what she was doing. She looked up at this desperate woman, she'd asked the Claves help and been offered it but she wanted it on her terms. It didn't wash with Maryse, she didn't want to hear it.

"Then why aren't you listening" Jocelyn asked a little horse she seemed a little hurt, and taken back about Maryse short reply.

Maryse subsided a little, she looked at the picture in front of her admittedly she was just trying to find her daughter but shed become this weak Mundane and made her daughter the same she only had herself to blame. There was so much talent going to waste it repulsed Maryse a little, but she like her was a Shadowhunter and Maryse thought it was about time someone reminded her of that. "Because there's no need for it. You're being weak Jocelyn. You are a Shadowhunter and so is your child" Maryse spoke sternly, her eyes her hard and her mouth was pursed she was being very serious. Jocelyn couldn't quite believe it Clary was missing she couldn't just sit here and do nothing. Jocelyn stared at Maryse a little horrified, "Clary wasn't raised as a Shadowhunter" Jocelyn yelled at her, she couldn't quite believe her.

"And who's fault is that?" Maryse asked rhetorically. Jocelyn had tears misting her eyes, Maryse shook her head. This was exactly what she meant by her being weak, a little bit on confrontation and she was in tears.

"Why because I hid her from danger?" Jocelyn snapped

"If you wanted her to listen to you, you shouldn't have ran around after her trying to be her best friend. You should have tried raising her like a mother then maybe she would respect you" Maryse shook with annoyance how could she be so stupid and naive. She thought that the world owed her something just because she was with Valentine which was another one of her stupid mistakes.

"How dare you insult me and question my parenting" Jocelyn cried out as her right hand came from by her side and her palm connected with the infuriating woman's face in front of her. Maryse stumbled back in her heels; her hand immediately grabbed her shocked face. Who the hell did she think she was, she couldn't do that she was the head of the Institute.

"You asked for our help and that's what we've given you" Maryse breathed out, she couldn't manage anything else she was too in shock. Maybe she wasn't quite as weak as she first thought she was. She trudged rapidly towards the door. She'd had enough of this woman and enough of this conversation.

"Wait Maryse I'm sorry" Jocelyn apologised darting after her, she grabbed her by the arm. Maryse reacted quickly pushing her away, she represented the Clave and she wasn't about to disgrace her status or the Lightwood name by getting in a brawl with this foul woman but she made a promise to herself if she lay one more finger on her she'd brake her scrawny little neck.

"Look I'm begging you, I know you don't like me and I know you look down upon how I handled things but as a mother to a mother what would you do?" Jocelyn stammered in an effort to get Maryse to listen to was desperate for any assurance and help she could get right now. Maryse began to walk away ignoring her pleads she didn't have time for this and she especially didn't have time to be assaulted by someone shed been requested to help.

"If it was Isabelle" Jocelyn continued onto say her voice was a little quiet as she called out from the door into the corridor where Maryse had proceeded to go.

Maryse stopped at the sound of her daughter's name, Maryse had raised Isabelle to be able to defend herself just like she raised Alec and would continue to raise Max. Just because Izzy was female didn't mean her strengths were any less and she had to have someone to defend her. But if the circumstances lead to Izzy being in danger and not being able to defend herself Maryse knew exactly what she would do.

"I'd trust Jace" Maryse turned and called back reassuringly.

Luke, stared at the Inquisitor. Her eyes were a little hazy, and her eye sockets were a little red like she'd rubbed them with her sleeve. Her mouth quivered a little as she spoke and her whole presence seemed less stronger than he could remember and it was something a little different than age. She'd certainly aged, her hair had greyed and become thin wispy strands, her stance had fallen a little not much but enough to tell the difference. Her blue eyes had paled a little, like they were misted glass, but her grace was nothing but the same.

"Do you think he looks like Stephen" She asked as she walked slowly towards her bed, she took a seat gracefully pulling her grey cloak with her and taking her hood down and letting it go gently.

"Yes. At first I thought it was him. It was almost like I'd travelled back in time" Luke said as he remembered last night, he was almost sure he may have died and gone to heaven when he saw Jace Wayland. "His hair is..." Luke began to continue as he recovered the memory in a little mesmerised state of unbelief just like he'd felt the previous night.

"Exactly like his, Exactly like mine used to be" The Inquisitor interjected, the thoughts she'd had about Jace were coming all but real now she'd heard similar thoughts out of someone else mouth. The only issue was why no one had ever seen it before, unless they just hadn't bothered to look.

"Is there any possibility of him being Stephen's son" Luke asked interrupting the Inquisitor as she trailed off into her own thoughts. Luke could tell this whole experience had really shaken her; he'd never seen her act so fragile and saddened before. Even after the death of her child and husband she held it together and become a hardened old women who was hell bent on revenge she'd never let anything faze her and she would never let weakness in. "Possibly. Celine may have died but it didn't mean there child did" The Inquisitor responded in realisation. She thought she may have been crazy and just longing after her son even now she wasn't used to life without him. "But Michael Wayland, How would he fit into all of this because he calls him father" Luke questioned, like the Inquisitor had all of the answers. She shrugged a little, because she didn't have a clue but she was sure she would find out. "There's one way to be sure if he's a Herondale" She insisted, her face lit up a little as she spoke. She'd forgotten about this detail until that second.

"How?" Luke questioned.

"The Herondale Birth mark" She replied

Luke looked at her in puzzlement, he didn't have a clue what she meant.

"All males from the Herondale bloodline inherit a star shaped birth mark on their shoulder. It's considered a blessing from Angel Ithuriel given to the first Herondale Shadowhunter William Herondale" The Inquisitor informed the werewolf and previous friend of her sons.

"Do you think the kid has it? We should check" Luke said enthusiastically, if this was all they needed to find out if the boy was a Herondale it would be easy.

"Lucien this has to come at the right time, don't act upon this yet wait for further instructions. Don't tell anyone about this either not even Jocelyn Fairchild" The Inquisitor commanded the sternness had resumed in her voice like this sudden revelation had helped her become hard and evil again.

"Good day Madam Inquisitor" Luke remarked going to leave the room, he knew the meeting was finished.

"Luke" The inquisitor called after him.

Luke turned this head a little as he opened the door, she stood and smiled at him her arms folded and her head high.

"Go and see Amatis. I hate to think of her all alone. She didn't deserve the hand she got dealt" The inquisitor spoke this like an instruction but at the same time it seemed a little strangely heartfelt. The Inquisitor knew what it was like to be without a family and she wouldn't wish it upon anybody least of all Amatis. She loved and adored Stephen just as much as she did, she probably still does.

Luke nodded and with that he left the room.

 _ **/ This is just a quick little message to say, if you enjoy this story can you please leave a review it would be much appreciated. Any suggestions or critics will be considered. Thank you for taking your time to read it I hope you're enjoying it /**_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Jace had been at this school all day and prior to his first thoughts about mundane there wasn't actually any clear stereotypes, sure different groups had their own thing like some played football, some were clever and attended science clubs in their lunch hour, others wore black and listened to people screaming down their earphones and then others walked around capturing everything on a canon camera with a flash. But just because all these people did these things didn't mean they were stuck in them kind of groups. They had other things about them, they did other things and they were friends with other people. Everything perception the shadow world had about these types of people was wrong, they weren't all stuck in these schemes and groups. Of course some individuals were often popular than others but this was typical of everyone even in the shadow world this was the case.

Jace had just come out of his last class of the day and it was history. Clary had been preparing and taking her exam practically most of the day, he'd seen her at lunch for a brief 10 minutes before she rushed off and left him with Simon. He'd wanted to go to Alec and Isabelle but when Clary had left them at the table he got surrounded by people who wanted to meet him and ask who he was, Simon told him he had to get used to this because it wasn't everyday a guy who looked like and angel randomly walked through the doors of the high school.

Jace sat on the bleachers inside the school gym he'd agreed to meet Simon and Clary here before going to Alec and Izzy.

Jace's phone bleeped in his pocket, he pulled it out he saw a text message on the screen. Jace had changed the settings on his phone so that when a text was delivered it couldn't be read unless the phone was unlocked. He'd done this so his father or Jonathan couldn't see who he was in contact with or what they were talking about. When Jace went back to the Wayland manor he spent a lot of time slandering his father and Jonathan to Alec and Izzy. He didn't tell them every detail he left a lot of it out so they didn't get worried about him but he said enough that allowed him to vent his anger.

The text was from Alec.

" _Update me. You should be here by now"_

It was a classic Alec Lightwood text, short and snappy a little blunt and very vague. Probably how he'd reply in person, when you read it you can just hear his voice in your head.

" _No sign of any trouble. Be there soon"_ Jace text back, he looked down at the screen and waited for the text to be sent.

"So, you're the new guy everyone's raving about" A voice called up to Jace. He'd never heard it before in his life but then again he'd never even seen any of these people in this place before. Jace took his eyes from his phone and picked up his head and directed it towards the direction of the voice.

A guy was stood at the bottom of the bleachers, he had a head of a muddy brown hair and his eyes were a golden hazel. He had a chiselled face shape with high cheek bones and a sculpted jaw line. He was dressed in a white basket ball uniform with the number '02' on the back of his shirt and a picture of a leopard on the front.

"I guess I am" Jace replied after glancing him up and down, this was a very guy thing to do for some reason they got all primal when they met each other.

"Jason right?" The guy asked, he gestured his head a little to the left like he was trying to figure him out. He began climbing the bleachers towards Jace. The tone of his voice sounded quite friendly.

"Jace" Jace corrected.

"I'm Quinn, I'm the captain of the basket ball team" Quinn held his hand out towards Jace, shaking the hand of another male was viewed as a gesture of friendship or greeting in the mundane world. Shadow hunters didn't really shake hands, they made friends through battle and if you didn't battle together why was there any need to be friends.

"Do you play any sports?" Quinn continued his interrogation on the new guy in the school as he reached out and shook his hand. He'd heard quite a lot about this guy already but none of it was actually about him he was this mysterious stranger that rocked up near the end of the year nobody else knew who he was or where he'd come from not anybody important anyway. But for some reason he was the word on everybody's lips especially nearly every girl in the school. He'd just spent an entire practice listening to the cheerleaders fawn over him as they tried relentlessly to stalk him on any social media he could find. They were unsuccessful, what kind of guy who looked like this and had become insanely popular after one day didn't have social media. In fact what kind of any teenager didn't have social media? Quinn was trying to suss him out.

"I'm not particularly a sports person" Jace replied lowering his hand after the other male let go. Each of them both had a pretty sturdy grip, Quinn hated to admit it but this kid was stronger than him and he wasn't a sports person. Quinn would have thought with his strength and the bruising on his face he was a boxer or wrestler of some sort.

"Well what kind of person are you? What's your thing?" Quinn quizzed he took a seat next to Jace.

Jace analysed this guy who was clearly trying to work him out, Jace knew he looked like the athlete pretty boy type of guy so this guy would of found it strange that he wasn't actually an athlete. Jace had to take precaution to this situation, this guy was the captain of the basket ball team and he seemed pretty popular with in the school and if the popular captain mundane kid was suss about you this would indicate a lot of people would be. Jace tried to play this as mundane as he could, as much as he hated trying to fit into the group of mundane they were all trying to identify him as. He'd have to, to blend in with these people.

"Girls" Jace said as cool as possible, he was cringing inside but it sounded better than slaying demons even if it did disgust him. He'd never normally say anything like this ever. He wasn't shallow, don't get him wrong he knew girls thought he was attractive and he did like girls attention and he did like attractive girls but that wasn't just what he was about.

Quinn nodded at his reply with a smile on his face like he was satisfied with his response. This was something Quinn could relate to he'd had his fair share of practically over half of the girls in the school, he was the most popular guy in the school of course he had.

"Have you noticed your fan club over there?" Quinn asked Jace pointing to the other side of the gym where twelve girls all sat on a bench looking over in their direction. Jace looked up at where the guy was pointing, the girls all looked away when they realised they'd been noticed they giggled to one another as they huddled around covering their faces. Jace found this all so easy, Jace would hate to be a mundane but it would be nice to have these kinds of problems instead f the pressures of saving the world day in and day out. Jace loved his job but going to mundane classes and having girls stare at him seemed like a nice and calm life something he could get used to. Obviously he'd probably never repeat this to anyone and his was the most ridiculous thought he'd had in the past few days but it wasn't as bad as he'd expected it to be. A blonde girl who sat in the middle of the rest of them didn't look away she just looked right at him, she picked her hand up and waved at him a little. Jace waved back to her, she was the head of the team Jace assumed and obviously not short of male attention she was very confident and rightly so she very pretty.

"That's Amber Chelsea, She's the most popular girl in school but she's seriously crazy you don't want to go there. When I broke up with her she stole my car and crashed it into her own house" Quinn warned Jace. Jace wasn't interested in her he'd seen so many girls like her before, and heard so many similar stories. Jace noticed Simon entering through the door in the corner of his eye, he got to his feet and Quinn followed.

"Look man, I'm having a party tomorrow at my place. Come and bring your friends or whoever with you" Quinn remarked putting his hand on Jace's shoulder.

"Thanks but urm..." Jace began looking at this guys hand on his shoulder. Jace had never been to a mundane party, he'd never actually really been to a party not a high school one anyway. The parties at the Institute or in Idris were just boring formal dinner parties that you had to wear a suit to, and never would his father let him drink alcohol. Neither would the Lightwoods of a matter of fact. He'd been into clubs but only with work.

"Just think about it, if you need my address just ask anyone" Quinn insisted, he removed his hand from Jace's shoulder.

Jace nodded, and left Quinn he walked towards Simon who was stood with his arms folded with his usual scowl and unimpressed look.

Simon waited impatiently for the blonde demon slaughtering crazy kid to finish talking to the most popular guy in school that arse whole Quinn Oliver the guy every girl wanted to date and the guy every guy wanted to be. Quinn was an extrovert and his kind of people, the individuals in this school that made the top cut and were considered popular they were exactly the same as him. Only primarily concerned with the physical and social environment but didn't exist on their own. When the high school hero's eventually get released into the real world, they eventually fall from their pedestals flat on their faces with no one to pick them back up. This is when most high school superiors learn what it's like for the rest of the world. This was Simon's belief anyway.

Simon tapped his foot in annoyance and rolled it eyes more than a few times just s make sure Jace knew he was annoyed. He looked at his watch a few times for good measure; he was in the middle of an angry tap and clock watch when Jace had finished clambering down the bleachers towards him. He wore his usual boyish charm and angelic like grace that was making every female in this place swoon over him. He'd stepped one foot in this place and had immediately flown to the top of social hierarchy next to Quinn Oliver and Amber Chelsea, Simon was pretty sure them to had never even seen him before and if they had they acted like he was completely invisible. Not that Simon cared, he wasn't shallow and he had Clary she was a thousand times better than anyone in this place.

"That's not something that surprises me" Simon grumbled when Jace had reached him, he didn't stand around to wait for Jace's reaction to his comment because he wasn't waiting around for this kid a second longer.

"What?" Jace called instantly confused, Jace was pretty convinced that Simon walked around with a chip on his shoulder and hated anyone who made an impression on anyone. Jace walked quickly to catch up with Simon as he steamed off.

"You fraternising with Quinn Oliver" Simon yelled over his shoulder, instantly stopping when he realised he was talking about the poster boy of fame when it came to everyone here. He was almost Cedar Academy's equivalent to the president of the United States of America. He probably eve had his own army of people ready to take anyone out if they bad mouthed him in public.

"Fraternising? Why do you make it sound illegal?" Jace laughed, this guy seriously needed to lighten up a bit it wasn't like he was a member of the circle, by the angel.

"Not illegal, just obvious. You have more than just good looks and popularity in common" Simon scolded, he rolled his eyes.

"What you don't like him either? Now that is not something that surprises me" Jace made a guess, referring to Simons previous comment, Jace found it hilarious he was acting like he was crazy jealous girlfriend.

"Clary was interested in him too" Simon said, sadness curled his tone a little. Jace glanced at him, as he immediately went quite. He seemed a little distracted in his own thoughts. It was clear he had a problem with Clary liking anyone or taking interest in any other guy. It was also obvious to anybody but Clary that he was so painfully in love with her.

"Well, he came over to me he just wanted to invite me to his party" Jace replied trying to defuse the situation and distract him from thinking about Clary's ignorance to his undying crush. Just because Simon thought he was an Idiot didn't mean he was one, Jace knew woman were this whole mystery that not even him or Quinn Oliver could solve so there was no point thinking about them when you didn't need to

What striked Jace about demure people like Simon was why he didn't just tell her, of course she might turn him down but that would be a whole lot less heart ache than him showing it at every second he got and her being so oblivious to it.

"He invited you to his party?" Simon asked exasperated, Jace's attempts of making him feel better clearly weren't working. Of course he was invited, Quinn Oliver threw the most parties in the entire school, and everyone wanted to be at them. So of course he got invited I mean why wouldn't he fits every popular social hierarchy criteria even though he'd never been to high school before in his life and he was this whole other species apparently Simon thought.

"Yeah" Jace announced quietly. He wasn't even sure Simon had heard him because he just walked in silence next to him. After some consideration of whether Jace should try and reason with Simon or just leave it well alone at the risk of making him even angrier at him. Jace felt like he needed to prove to him he wasn't this absolute prick like he believed him to be, Jace didn't care what anyone thought about him but he was obviously going to be stuck with Simon a lot if he cared about Clary as much as Jace believed he did, and it would be a lot easier to put up with without having to explain his every move and action to her little pet lover. Besides he'd shown more than anger in this conversation and Jace was partly responsible.

"Look Simon I get it ok. It's always just been you and Clary and you feel like I'm taking her from you. I understand" Jace finally made the decision. He grabbed Simon by the arm to stop him from walking away and just came out with it before he had a chance to talk himself out of it and let the winy little bitch deal with it on his own.

They'd stopped at the end of the corridor near the art studio Clary had been stuck in all day, there wasn't anyone around. Thank God Jace thought, if anyone saw this it wouldn't be his reputation with the Mundanes that would be lower than hell. If Alec and Izzy or any shadow hunter caught him counselling a geeky emotional wreck of a mundane he'd never her the end of it for the rest of his sad excuse of a life.

"No I don't feel like... how could you understand?" Simon retorted, beginning his reply in anger. Jace gave him a unconvincing look. Who was Simon trying to kid, he could barely make himself believe he didn't care about Jace begin around Clary but he and the rest of the world this was everything but far from the truth.

"Well Alec and I... Alec and I are normally inseparable but for some reason he's been really preoccupied and moody. I think there's something up with him" Jace managed to get his words out, he couldn't believe he was divulging all of this to a mundane, he couldn't believe he was telling anyone all other than Izzy she was normally the one who sorted out their issues and they didn't need to tell her she'd just guess. His dad was so right he was such a bitch he really needed to sort out his emotional issues. Jace new he cared about people unlike his father and brother but he didn't realise it extended to telling a mundane. Jace immediately regretted telling Simon, he was just about to tell him to forget and it and get himself the hell out of the place before Simon replied and it was something Jace didn't expect.

"Well maybe its Alec that understands how it feels. Maybe Clary is to Alec what you are to me in this situation" Simon even shocked himself let alone Jace, his tone was soft and little to sincere.

"You think Alec thinks Clary is taking me away from him?" Jace was instantly stunned and not just at the fact that Simon hadn't just laughed in his face. But because he'd never thought about it like that. There was no need for Alec to feel that way because it definitely wasn't the truth was it?

"Seems like it" Simon replied shrugging his shoulders, he wasn't aware Shadowhunters even had feelings then again until yesterday he wasn't even aware of Shadowhunters.

"I didn't think of it like that" Jace mused a little in his own thoughts, he'd forgotten that Simon was stood next to him; he shook his head a little on disbelief.

"You know for what it's worth I know you're just doing your job and protecting Clary" Simon replied a little too wrapped up in the heartfelt moment he'd been having with practically a complete stranger and someone he didn't recall actually liking.

Jace smiled awkwardly.

After Simons last reply the pair of them plunged into absolute silence and it was beginning to feel awkward, and both of them were both freaked out at the fact that they might have been wrong about each other and other one maybe alright, maybe alright was pushing it. That each other weren't what they thought sounded about right.

"You're still a geek" Jace mumbled saving them both from this weird conversation they'd both engaged in.

"And you are still and always will be a dick" Simon replied in a serious tone but he was very thankful for Jace's insult.

And they were back. This time hating each other slightly less but in a mutual unspoken agreement between them both they'd never mention this to anyone ever again.

"What's going on?" A voice called, it echoed down the hollow and empty corridor. Each of them knew the voice all too well.

"Nothing" They both snapped at the same time sounding guilty as sin but none the less would protest this argument.

Clary came into view she was stood leaning out of the Art studio door. Her hair braids had become a little loose over time and her hair really needed brushing Strands of it had become covered in multiple different colours of acrylic paint and he finger tips and palms were covered in a variety of different art materials from charcoal to multicoloured pastels.

"Right..." Clary nodded completely unconvinced, she walked slowly towards them light on her feet.

"Are you coming?" Simon asked happily the way a dog would when it's owner leaves them for five seconds.

"No no, you to go ahead, I need to finish my course work" Clary did a hand waving motion, that her mother did to her when she was trying to get her out of her hair when she was panting.

"Clary you know I can't leave without you. I'm supposed to be protecting you remember?" Jace retorted

"Yeah Clary, we're supposed to be protecting you" Simon corrected

"Yes I remember but I'll be fine and you're only across the road I'm not pathetic I can be left alone for 10 minutes" Clary insisted a little agitated, she just really needed to get her things done and she didn't need to be hovered over.

"Fine but hurry up ok" Jace said a little demanding, he wasn't kidding and he wasn't bothered about being pushy if Clary died then so did he and he wasn't prepared to give up his life at only sixteen it wasn't an option.

Jace and Simon left Clary to finish up both of them didn't like the idea but the quicker she got done the quicker they got to go wherever she'd drag them off to next. Jace didn't have a clue what would happen next because most high students went home after school but not ones who had been missing for a week and then taken back home unconscious. Jace wished he could take her home to Jocelyn, he couldn't even imagine how she would have been feeling all day knowing Clary could be in danger every second.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Ever since Jace had left Clary in the building alone he couldn't stop thinking about her and worrying about her safety. They'd barely made it a few metres from the door and sickness feeing came over him and he'd fallen instantly quiet. He didn't want to leave her and it wasn't just because if Clary met her match then so would he with the Clave. His heart ached as the thought came over him what might happen if she was alone.

He wouldn't go back but he would almost definitely stay alert until she'd finished what she was doing, it clearly meant a lot to her. Jace's thoughts shifted a little off Clary but the pain did not leave him he didn't understand why he felt so strongly, so worried and scared about a theoretical threat. He was always so practical but he couldn't shake it. Jace remembered that Simon to was supposed to be in the art exam with Clary he'd heard them talking about it this morning.

"Simon I thought you were taking the exam?" Jace asked trying to force his mind off Clary.

"Yeah I did, Clary wanted to finish her course work and sort everything out so it's perfect. I don't know how she managed to concentrate, or if she even did" Simon replied to Jace as they walked through the gates of the school..

"It means a lot to her right?" Jace questioned

"The most. Art is everything to Clary" Simon exclaimed, Jace imagined this would be the way Clary would project it also. Jace instantly felt a little guilty for being a part of the distraction and also at the fact that everything would only get harder and much more complicated to deal with in only a matter of time.

He was almost convinced that all this simplicity that her life once was would all fade as soon as she got to the institute he doubted very much that she'd go back to being a normal mundane art student that loved nothing more than the smell of charcoal and detailed pencilled drawing on a white piece of paper. Her paintbrush would eventually be traded with a sword and her time would be taken up with training and trying to impress the Clave.

Jace almost felt like he should be protecting Clary from that and not his own world. She didn't seem to belong there she was so sweet and innocent and nothing had ever been harder than the popular boy in school not noticing her and her work not being handed in on time. Even her home life was easier than her school, she'd never been challenged by her mother, she'd been allowed to talk back to her and she was allowed to call the shots. This was something Jace had never been able to do, even with the Lightwoods he'd never act in such a way.

This was how Jocelyn had chosen to raise her so she didn't know any different, Jace knew she had so much to learn and respecting authority was just the very beginning.

Simon hurried towards Dalphine's Diner as Jace lagged a little behind. He'd been quiet practically all the way there especially after they'd last spoken. Simon was quiet thankful for it after how weirdly their previous conversation had been, when he woke up this morning he never imagined to be having a heart to heart with a demon slaying, human race protecting, super model looking guy that Clary hadn't stopped going on about.

Simon reached out his arm and took the handle of the black door that lead him into the small white building on the corner of the street, The diner was clearly marked with a big black and white sign 2 feet from the door. The window was postered up to high heaven, it was like a display for missing animals and the latest attractions of new York.

Simon waited for Jace to catch up before he pulled the door open. Jace hurried a little as he noticed Simon waiting at the door, he forced his thoughts away as he traipsed through the door after Simon.

The interior decor was very sleek and modern; it didn't look like your typical American diner more like a British Cafe. Instead of the standard cushioned red booths and black and white tiled floor that you generically see in most places that title themselves a diner, there were black and white circled tables and depending on the table colour were the opposite coloured chairs. There was an Island surface towards the back of the room with a cash register and a blonde haired girl with their back to them.

There was a rack of black menu's on every table and a specials board behind the counter that was covered in calligraphy styled writing.

Jace scowered the desolate place for Alec and Izzy, he spotted them in the furthest corner away from the door. They were sat around a black table in white chairs opposite one another, Isabelle had her laptop and placed in front of her with a cup of coffee to the right. Her back was straight in the chair and as she typed away on her laptop. Alec on the other hand, he was sat slouched against the chair if he got any lower his knees would be on the floor. There was a finished plate of food in front of him. He had his headphones in his ears his phone in one hand and a can of coke in the other. He scrolled idly at his phone screen, before taking a sip of his drink and resuming to the same action as before.

Jace walked over slowly observing this scene, Alec wasn't usually so unfocused not even when they were just standing by. He was the on alert guy every one of his senses were usually on height of alert and he shifted and paced in suspense. This behaviour was something Jace had never seen, even as a kid Alec was controlled, ordered and very much together.

"Jace, Thank the heavens you're here. I can't stand another second of staring at this screen and Alec's ignorance" Izzy exasperated looking up at Jace with a huge grin, like his company was extremely welcome. Jace pulled out a chair and sat down next to here. Alec hadn't even noticed his presence or if he had he was doing a good job at pretending he hadn't He seemed completely oblivious to his surroundings, he hadn't even bothered to cast a evil glare at Simon as he took the other remaining chair adjacent to Jace.

"He's being really weird" Izzy informed Jace as she noticed him looking over at his parabatai, Jace knew he should reassure Isabelle that there was nothing to worry about and Alec was fine that's what he'd usually do but this wasn't just Alec sulking or the usual Alec lightwood moodiness not even Jace couldn't understand this. As his parabatai Jace can sense his emotion but all Jace could feel was hatred like a nastiness he'd ever felt in Alec before, it was dark and was only growing stronger. But Alec was doing his absolute best to block Jace out, Jace kind of got the feeling that he was annoyed at him but when he asked last time Alec said they were fine so he didn't feel like questioning it a second time.

"So how was it?" Izzy exclaimed she reached out and touched Jace's arm to get his attention.

"Like watching a movie" Simon Interjected

Jace and Izzy both turned and looked at him in confusion.

Simon exhaled a long drawn out breath and rolled his eyes

"You know like any bullshit movie about high school. The new attractive boy starts and immediately becomes one of the most popular boys in school, gets the girls goes to the parties. That kind of thing"

"Sounds entertaining" Izzy remarked playfully, she knew Jace would immediately get attention, especially female attention that was just a given. She herself loved attention, but if it was mundane attention they could keep it.

"Can I get you guy's anything2 A warm girly voice asked, Izzy looked up instantly. She hadn't even realised the waitress was there, they could have been discussing anything. Without Alec on top performance things went a little wrong, it was lucky they were talking like normal people.

Jace turned his head a little "No thank you" he answered politely giving out a little smile. 'Here we go' Izzy thought, Jace's prime time hitting on the tall blonde.

"Hey, don't I know you?" The waitress asked with a look of wonder, she was pretty sure she'd seen that face before. It was angelically beautiful, and she was sure she wouldn't forget someone with such grace.

Jace shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows. Izzy looked at him and frowned Jace played it cool of course but never a flat out disinterest where he never even replied.

"I'll have a coffee" Simon chirped up over at the waitress, he had watched this play out in front of him and he really wasn't sure why Isabelle seemed so confused and Alec had immediately picked up interest.

"Last night at the club" The girl remembered she said it with a little excitement in her voice. Izzy could hardly recognise her without the skull face paint but it was the girl who had tripped and fell into Jace last night. They weren't on a mission now so it wasn't for Isabelle to get involved, even if she tried Jace could charm a demon to become an Angel.

Jace shook his head softly "It wasn't me, I'm a sixteen year old with no fake ID I'd have no chance of getting into a club" Jace responded politely, Alec and Izzy were staring a him like he'd gone completely insane to which Jace frowned at them.

"Could have fooled me. Whoever she is she's a lucky girl" The waitress responded, she could see through Jace's lies. Maybe he was a sixteen year old with no ID but it was him in the club.

She picked up Isabelle's coffee cup and Alec's empty plate and walked away. Her shoes tapped against the tiled flooring as she made her way back to the counter.

"What? Jace insisted a little agitated at the constant staring and frowning he was receiving to everyone in his company.

Alec and Izzy looked at each other and then away from Jace.

"I don't have to take every girl who hits on me" Jace continued, he sunk lower in his chair and took his phone out of his pocket to avoid this awkwardness. The truth was Jace knew this wasn't what he'd normally do; He'd usually stand there and talk to her for about twenty minutes before they'd be kissing and starting something that would never end up in a relationship.

This time he didn't do this, he had some sort of sickness in his stomach that made him feel like it was wrong.

Isabelle had been listening to Alec going on and on about now Clary had changed Jace, he was adamant that everything about Jace had changed. Isabelle had disagreed, but she was beginning to think maybe in this instance he may have been right. This wasn't like Jace; he'd been flirting and enjoying attention from girls since they'd been eleven. With his looks he was never short of an admirer, mundane teenager and woman, Shadowhunters, warlocks, vampires, and the odd werewolf. It didn't matter what species they were never resistant to his unintentional hypnosis. Even the Mundane knew he'd denied her for another girl. And it could have been for no one else other than Clarissa Fairchild.

Alec knew this would happen ever since they day that Clary and Jace met.

 _Aftermath of the red haired mundane_

" _Go Jonathan Father will be waiting" Jace said prompting Jonathan to leave as they stepped out of the portal in the foyer of Wayland Manor House in Idris. Jonathan walked away from them with a evil little smile as he descended the grand staircase in front of them which lead to the ground floor where their father would be waiting._

" _He's got serious issues" Alec said in a breath as they watched Jonathan clamber up to the top and cross the landing out of sight. He sounded relieved when he'd left. Jonathan was enough to put anyone on edge, even a fellow Shadowhunter._

" _You've only just noticed? Him slicing me with my own seraph blade at eleven didn't suggest anything to you" Jace suggested as a joke but after he'd said it he didn't find it that funny. Alec and Jace both stood in an awkward silence._

" _So that mundane at the coffee shop" Alec mumbled changing the direction of conversation. He had his hands stuffed into his jacket pocket and he rocked back and forth on his feet casually._

 _Jace looked up at Alec for him to continue what he was going to say, his arms were folded and his feet were apart, this was the signature Jace stance this was how he always stood._

" _She liked you, she was a bit strange though ay?" Alec continued still in this tone of casual. Alec would hate to admit it but he actually wanted to know Jace's response to this girl._

 _Jace shrugged, "She was alright, she was nice"_

" _Did you like her?" Alec announced like he was surprised, he wasn't. Jace loved any attention from girls, he had more than enough of it but Alec knew that this one was different._

" _No Alec, I only said she was nice that's hardly a marriage proposal. Besides she's mundane" Jace protested, he'd said the first bit a little forcefully and then the last bit a little more genuinely. Why was Alec so interested he wasn't usually be bothered about the girls Jace spoke to. Alec looked at Jace as he lost himself in his own thoughts a little, he was protesting to much Alec thought._

" _Jace I'm your brother, I'm your parabatai. If you liked a mundane I wouldn't judge you" Alec insinuated, putting his arm and Jace's shoulder. These words yanked Jace out of his thoughts. Jace turned around and glared at Alec a little and pointed to the floor above. He'd just mentioned parabatai in the manor house, was he serious right now, if his father found out. Alec clapped his hand around his mouth when he realised what he'd done._

 _They listened for a while and there was no noise, reassurance came over both of them in ocean like floods._

" _I know you wouldn't, but I don't honestly. I wouldn't lie to you" Jace put his hand on Alec's shoulder._

 _Pain smashed Alec in the chest like a boulder ripping down a building._

" _A mundane" Michael Wayland's voice screeched down through the manor, it bounced around the emptiness of the place. There wasn't one part of the whole building that suggested it was a home, it was like a museum empty, untouched and unlived._

" _Looks like Jonathan's a snake as well as a creep" Jace rolled his eyes, His father stood at the top of the staircase with Jonathan at his side. Jonathan looked down at them the grin had increased greatly and he had his arms folded and a sense of accomplishment in his presence._

 _That was Jace in the dog house for another lifetime because of Jonathan. Jace scowled up at him._

" _I'll see you soon, hopefully I'll be at the Institute by next week. Tell Iz I said hey" These were Jace's final words to Alec before he walked up the stairs to his fucked up family._

" _I thought this was some kind of sick joke" Michael exclaimed to Jace, he grabbed his son by his jacket and walked away. Jace put his hand up to Alec in a wave when he noticed he was still stood there._

 _Jonathan remained; he glared at Alec until he turned his back and left._

 _Alec walked through the Institute, he dragged his feet heavily and he looked down at the floor. Most of the people here had gone to dine in the dining room. Alec had insisted to his mother he'd stay on guard duty because he wasn't hungry, He'd ignored her when she'd asked how Jace was and sloped off to his guard post._

" _Brother" Isabelle called in a joyful tone as she skipped in through the hallway. Alec glanced up at her and then back down at his feet._

" _By the Angel was being around Jonathan that bad" Isabelle irked she pulled away a little when Alec looked at her like his face was covered in some kind of disease._

 _Alec ignored her._

" _How was Jace?" Isabelle asked she was so annoyingly happy that Alec just wanted to leave. He did not want to talk about Jonathan and he definitely did not want to talk about Jace._

 _Jace had told Alec he wouldn't lie to him but that sentence was some kind of stupid oxymoron. He said he didn't like Clary and then went onto announce he wouldn't lie to him._

 _Alec was his parabatai and unbeknownst to Jace Alec knew he liked Clary. He felt the feeling that Jace felt when they'd met. They'd barely locked eyes and Jace had this feeling that made him shiver all over and it was when he looked at the Mundane._

Over time the feeling that Alec felt Jace feel when he'd met Clary had only grown stronger, and Alec was almost sure he could feel Jace falling in love with a girl he was practically a stranger too and he just couldn't understand it.

"So where is she then? You're little pet" Alec spat at Jace in distaste.

"Her names Clary" Jace corrected Alec; he looked at him with a frown. Jace was getting really annoyed with Alec's attitude towards everyone especially Clary. What his problem.

"Yeah and if anything Jace is her pet" Simon chided.

"Simon" Isabelle mumbled, looking over at him to tell him leave it alone.

Alec shrugged "Mundanes got a point she's got you running around after her and sitting on command, Is she going to be rewarding you with dog biscuits when you protect her"

"Fuck, Alec why can't you leave this alone seriously"

"Because I won't have my brother being taken for a mug that's why. She's playing all of us like we're a pack of dogs at her beckoned call" Alec retaliated.

"Guys" Izzy said in a concerned voice. Her brothers never really argued like this but it wasn't the reason why she was concerned.

"Seriously Alec, this was the Clave"

"Are you fucking blind you..." Alec began to retort in a nasty snarl.

"Guys" Isabelle repeated making herself louder and very serious. She looked at them in anger and they both looked back at her questioningly as why she interrupted them.

"Look at this" Isabelle gestured towards her laptop.

AJace stared at Alec for a few seconds before they both let it go and walked around towards Isabelle's laptop screen.

She had the CCTV to the school displayed on her screen, a black figure was floating down the corridor it was close to the wall and was almost unseen.

"That's a demon" Alec announced quietly as he looked up at the worker behind the counter. With out another word said they all collected their belongings and dashed towards the school.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

A hand crept around the door to the entrance of the school building; the corridor on the opposite side of the door was desolate completely empty and silent. The door let out a little creak which echoed through the dim lit halls of the now abandoned building. Jace Wayland's face peered through the small slit of the door. His face that was considered something of pure beauty presented a deep confliction of something that wasn't beautiful, he looked extremely worried in a deep concern. His white blonde hair shone like the moon in a pitch black starless sky. His blue alexandrites like eyes were squinted and looked a little misted. His eyebrows were arched and he was trying with his entire mite to concentrate. He pulled the door open and slipped inside without another sound; everywhere was so silent he could hear Alec's breathing in his ear as his parabatai followed centimetres behind him. Alec glanced around as he came through the door behind Jace, Isabelle was close on his trail. This was how they did every mission, close together and quite literally having each other's backs, but this time they had another person on their little demon hunt. Simon hadn't made a noise, he hadn't asked his usual 20,000 questions and he hadn't made any sarcastic comments, Isabelle wasn't even sure he she could hear him breathing. She knew he was still there because he was so close to her that they could almost share the same skin. It was natural for a mundane to be scared of their own shadow let alone a shadow from hell.

If Jace didn't have a one track mind in stabbing his seraph blade through the core of this evil demonic being he would of considered commending Simon for his bravery, he wouldn't actually because they weren't best friends or anything but he might of thought about it.

Isabelle turned her head slowly to check that Simon was actually allowing himself to breath, the kid looked like he'd seen a ghost. His usual pale complexion was a sheet white and his body was rigid, he had his fists closed in tightly as if he was prepared to protect himself but it was really because he was scared as hell. He looked at Isabelle's face as he noticed her looking at him her red lips were pursed and her eyelashes were fluttering in the corner of his eyes. She gave him a weak smile of reassurance before whipping her head back around and concentrating on the job at hand. Simon swallowed hard trying his hardest to stay of his feet, he was shaking and he felt like his legs were going to buckle underneath him. If Isabelle felt as though she needed to console him her being a massive mundane hater, Simon knew that every second of this experience would not be pleasant for anyone.

The low lights on the ceiling gave of a small buzz; each of them moved lightly on their feet and tried their hardest to keep their breathing in check. The scoped the corridors, straining their eyes to see in the dark yellowish light, no one dared speak or put a foot out of place, if they were to make a sound they might of blown the whole operation. They had years training, and they had had hands of experience they had been set so many missions to kill demons that they'd forgotten how serious the consequences could be if they had messed it up. This brought it home for each and every one of them why they were born into this life, why it was so detrimentally important to rid the world of evil intention

A scream came from down the corridor; it was a terrified blood curdling screech. Jace's heart dropped through the floor, The echo of the scream shattered in his ears, the whole place felt so empty and so cold. "Clary!" Jace yelled, his voice echoed around the corridors bouncing from the walls to the floor. The silence that previously surrounded them instantly cracked as Jace began drowning in panic. He took off down the empty corridor like he was running a 100 metre sprint and his whole life depended on winning, his heart was beating so quickly that it physically hurt when it pounded against his chest. He couldn't rationalise his thought process, he did this for a living he was always surrounded by demons but this was different. Whenever Alec and Izzy got in danger he didn't react quite so badly, they could defend themselves almost better than he was able to protect them.

They were so used to being around demons it was almost like some kind of sick game of who killed it first. Jace was pretty sure Clary had never seen a demon and if she had she couldn't remember. What Jocelyn had done had been to protect Clary but keeping her in the complete dark was only putting her in even more danger now that she was older. For someone to take the right of someone being able to protect themselves from this kind of evil was considered partially selfish. Jace had tried to force himself around to Jocelyn's way of thinking to condole her actions and she was so sweet and innocent that Jace felt in his heart he should believe her but at this second no amount of kind talk could make Jace believe in Clary's mother at this point. She had been thrust into this world completely blind with a mundane mind-set but Shadow hunter responsibilities. No less that 24 hours ago Clary was under the impression her mother and Luke were bat shit crazy because that was the only way she could rationalise it to herself because she thought like a mundane and rationalising things was what they did best but now she was being threatened by a demon and had to rely on other people to save her.

The scream had been followed by a dead soul crunching silence that scared Jace more than anything. Screams and silence's went together like drink and driving it was never a good thing. His feet hit the ground in loud thuds as he belted in the direction of the Art Studio, the others were clattering behind him he could hear their footprints a little softer than his but not far away. "Jace, think about this" Alec shouted after him his tone was flat like he had given no effort and was convinced Jace would just completely ignore him, he sounded further away than Jace had thought, if Alec wasn't close on his trail then who was?

Jace didn't bother to look around, or to answer or even listen to Alec but it was Simon who was closing in on him. The scream had made him feel just the same way, if not even worse Clary was his whole life in one person. He lived to see her smile, he lived to make her laugh and he lived to be there when she cried. It had shaken his whole universe and he couldn't think about anything else or hear, see or smell anything else. It was like he was trapped in that moment when he'd first heard it and he knew he'd be going after Jace if anything bad had happened to Clary. His body had instantly gained the strength to go and help Clary he was shaking with anger now not fear. He'd never been so determined to be at Clary's side.

Jace skidded around the corner as he came to the doorway to the art studio he almost missed it because he'd been running so fast. He hung on to the door handle as he slid and nearly slipped as he skidded to a holt and was a few seconds away from landing on his face. Simon collided into him as Jace managed to collect his balance; this forced them forwards and toppling through the door.

They both looked up at the scene that they saw in front of them, there breathing was erratic, there heart rates were going at 90 miles a second and there gasps were in sync with one another it sounded like an instrumental to a club song.

Simon and Jace stared on opened mouthed. The demonic figure they had seen ghosting the halls of the school now had Clary Fairchild 8 feet above the ground. The creature stood seven feet tall and was a kind of pale black like you could tell it was hollow with no soul just by the colour. It stood looking like a hologram but it wasn't a ghost and it was definitely not projected. It had its hands around Clary's slim waist. Clary wasn't moving her arms and legs were dangling down, they moved ever so slightly as the demon glared up at her. The art studio was a evil cold and the whole room smelled repulsively, death and rotting curled in the air and into the Jace's nostrils as he breathed in.

A kind of paralysis seeped through Jace's body and second by second from head to toe he felt numb as he stared in disbelief, he felt grief stricken his whole body began to ache, his heart felt like it had been smashed into small tiny pieces, he didn't feel like his heart was beating he didn't feel he was breathing, he didn't feel like he could move. He felt defeated before he'd even tried. Jace didn't understand why he felt so helpless. "Jace" Alec grabbed hold of Jace and yanked him to his feet, he was shaking him a little violently.

Alec relentlessly shook Jace's body to get him to respond, he looked completely out of it his body was collapsing against Alec's as Alec tried to hold him up. He wasn't hurt and but he looked in sincere pain. Alec seriously didn't understand, usually Jace wouldn't take a second to analyse the situation he'd be rush in without a second guess.

Isabelle clambered around her brothers and joined Simon who was venturing into the room alone without no protection or help. Jace watched after Isabelle and Simon, "Iz" Jace yelled after her, his voice was a little cracked as battled to shout after Isabelle. He finally felt like he could talk, move and fight, he had to. They all had to in order to save Clary. "I'm good" Jace said inhaling the deepest breath he could manage, the feeling began to come back in his limbs as he shook his way out of Alec's grip. Alec subsided, he stood next to Jace. They waited a few seconds and had a unspoken agreement that they were running into this together.

Isabelle picked up her speed, as her two brothers ran past her, they circled both her and Simon coming in from each side and then resumed their previous side by side stance as they legged it towards Clary. The bottoms of their shoes were visible from off the ground they pelted it that hard across the room. Isabelle was an expert in completely flooring it in heels but she like any other woman in the world Shadowhunter or not had no power of the sound they made. The clopping of Isabelle's shoes caught the demons attention to alert it that a threat was getting closer. The creature whisked around tornado like, like it was a part of the air. Something so demonic trying to blend in and create the idea it was a part of the natural forces of this world was something so obscured a little disturbing.

Clary's body flayed with the vast movement of the creature, she looked like a rag doll in the clasps of a bully who had every intention of ripping it in half, partly for its own pleasure and definitely for your pain. Jonathan was like this with Jace when they were kids, he'd take Jace's possessions which believe it or not wasn't actually a lot, and torment the hell out of him. The fact that Jonathan was a spoilt little brat and Jace never got much from his father it made Jace angry when he took his stuff also, which was the very reaction Jonathan always wished for. He'd take his things torment him with them for a while, make Jace believe he was going to keep them and then when it got boring and Jace accepted defeat he'd damage them or burn them depending on how evil he felt and how important it was to Jace.

The creature had been shaking Clary around angrily as it walked around in circles as Isabelle, Alec and Jace were stood at 12.00, 9.00 and 6.00, of the battlefield navigation imaginary clock. Simon would have been at 3.00 but it wasn't a real clock, he was mundane and unable to protect himself and Alec had told him to back off. Isabelle's silver snake whip that wrapped neatly around her arm was slithering slowly down and into the palm of her hand she glanced at Jace and Alec who both nodded as if to give her the heads up to go ahead. Without another thought, without another breath, and another step Isabelle snapped the whip into her hands and flicked it out instantly and it very viciously licked the middle of the demon but before Izzy could flex her wrist to have it in a hold. It moved to the side ever so slightly. The force of the whip missing its target yanked Isabelle forward nearly ripping her arms off, the demon moved its energy force ever so slightly and every person in the room excluding Simon, who was under a table out of sight, felt their bodies falling back as they got thrown through the air, hurtling away from their enemy. Each one of them hit the corresponding four walls of the room, with their back, besides Clary who hit the wall opposite Alec horizontally and on her face was facing towards the wall.

Jace Alec and Izzy both hit the ground in unison with an almighty thud.

"Fuck" Jace mumbled just above his breath, as the wind had been taken from him and he felt like every piece of him had been shattered.

"Izzy are you alright" Alec called out to his sister, who had her eyes closed and wincing in pain, her thin frame had hit the concrete that fast she thought she saw her life flashing before her eyes. Her arms were dangled by her sides and one leg was stretched out and the other was tucked beneath her.

"Other than a chipped nail I'm all good" Izzy replied in a little sarcasm, in situations where you've been flung against a wall by a evil supernatural spirit at 40 miles per hour and could possibly have broken each and every bone in your body a humour was good, probably frowned upon by others but Alec, Isabelle and Jace seemed to enjoy it.

"Jace you?" Alec asked, he asked before he looked. Jace had already taken out his stele to heal himself, he could heal majority of his aches and pains his bruises probably wouldn't clear but he wasn't to bothered about being pretty right now. "Always" Jace called back slowly lifting himself to his feet as he breathed a little heavily. With in another a minute or so every one of them was back on their feet. Jace moved his shoulders a little to prepare himself and dragged his jacket down and back into place, as Jace shook his head he caught something in the corner of his eyes which shattered his efforts to prepare himself for round 2.

Jace slowly moved his head around to look at Clary; he felt as though his heart sank through his body and melted into a pool of black liquid. Her body lay on the ground, she had bounded when she had landed so her body had turned and her face was looking in his direction. Her eyes were closed and her hands were loose, her legs were bent and proceeding into the other direction of her face. One of her shoes was missing and her Jacket was half hanging from her body. The paintbrush she'd been holding when the demon had interrupted her was still loosely in the right hand, the worst part is she didn't even see or hear it coming because she'd had her earphones in and her back to the demon.

It had taken her completely by surprise. Her earphones dangled out the top of her shirt and her phone had landed a few metres from her. The earphones were unplugged but there no music coming from it, which suggested that it was as broken as Clary looked. Instead of a rag doll, she now resembled a unwanted and discarded porcelain doll, one that had been smashed into pieces and shoved into the attic of your house not to be seen or fixed again.

Jace felt his eyes cloud up as he scanned the scene, her red hair had fallen into her face and was displayed in various directions across the floor, Jace could see fragments of her beautiful face, her lips were pale almost blue tinted, her usual blushed cheeks were a flushed ghostly white. He felt a painstaking urge to run over to her and hold her he just wanted to feel her warmth against him; he wanted to cradle her body in his arms and whisper reassurance into her ears. He wanted to pull her long strands of hair out of her face, he wanted to wipe the blood from her face and recent dispelled tears from her eyes, he just wanted to feel her heart beat pulsing through her body. If it was pulsing.

Jace's view of Clary's hurt and fragile face was cut off by someone else, It was Simon, he'd crawled from his hiding space trying his best to make no noise and not be seen by the thing that had just crushed his best friend into the school building that had been their safety since they'd attended high school. Jace shook his head to drag himself out of his stare, he went a little dizzy and sickness came over him. He was now looking down at the floor, as angry as Jace felt towards this thing for hurting Clary he was just as sad. Upset riddled him, it made him hurt and ache more than any injury that anything or anyone could inflict upon him. Jace always believed he wouldn't be able to feel any more pain than what he'd endured at the hands of his father or the death of his mother physically or emotionally but this had proved him wrong.

He'd never quite felt hurt this much, especially because he didn't understand why it hurt him so deeply that he was burning inside and out. The worst thing about this was there was no way to heal this kind of pain, when he was injured he could use his stele and when he was upset about his mother or his father he could justify it to himself or preoccupy his mind because he'd been so used to it but this wasn't fixable.

Alec could feel Jace was in pain, Isabelle could see Jace was in pain and Simon could identify and match Jace with the exact same pain the exact same heart wrenching, mind destroying pain that killed you inside.

Jace Wayland, Alexander Lightwood and Isabelle Lightwood, stood feet shoulder width apart, seraph blades in hands, anger burning up inside them like a enormous outrageous blaze that spread like wild fire. Jace dragged his left foot against the floor, and tapped his right against the side of his left, it was like watching a bull before it began to charge. With each and every one of them set out with the same mind set and the same goal to completely destroy and wipe this motherfucker from existence they all charged into a battle with it. They all ran towards it with quick speed, it didn't stand a chance this time it was not getting away. As they pelted it across the ground with lightening speed, their seraph blades clattered together as they thrust it deep into Satins slave. Each of them yanked their swords back out of it, it began to disappear into a nothingness a yellow light blared out of it where the touch of the angels stabbed through its evilness. It let out a ear piercing wail as it spell into a tornado shape and disintegrated into nothingness.

The all stood in complete silence; they stared at where the creature was once stood. Their usual victorious celebrations didn't come; it didn't feel appropriate in any case they hadn't exactly won. Each of their chests visibly moved up and down as their hearts pounded, they tried to collect themselves, calm their breathing in the few seconds of silence.

A slow clap sounded and echoed throughout the room, the applause interrupted their peace. Jace looked back quickly into the direction from where the sound erupted from.

Magnus Bane stood in the doorway of the Art studio, he was leaning against a wall one leg on the floor and the other was bent and lent against the wall. Jace frowned at Magnus as he looked at all of them with his glazed cat eyes, now he'd made himself known they could feel his magical presence.

"What are you doing here?" Alec questioned a little angrily, he was almost sure this guy was stalking him. Alec moved on his feet a little nerved and impatient.

"Now now Alexander do be so self absorbed. I'm here for Clarissa... mostly" Magnus replied, Magnus could sense that Alec thought he was here just to be around him. Magnus would agree that this was just a perk. But Magnus was the high warlock his people looked from him for protection and answers and if Valentine's daughter was exposed to be alive to the Shadow world then he'd need to keep up to date with the situation in case of any sign of another uprising or return of the circle. Magnus always felt as though Valentine was still around, he felt it very deep inside him, after all he was part demon and if Valentine wasn't one of the most evil creatures that had ever existed Magnus couldn't tell you what was. Evil forces like Valentine didn't just disappear, and his theories and beliefs didn't vanish either. Magnus had to protect himself. He also always liked Clary so helping to protect her was a justice to himself as well as her mother.

"How did you know..." Isabelle began to ask, and then realised Magnus was Magnus he knew everything. She closed her mouth and played with her hair a little and hoped everyone didn't think she was as stupid as she sounded.

"I didn't need to know young shadow hunter, I've been with you this whole time" Magnus responded, he shrugged his shoulders, this made Izzy feel at ease a little.

"You've been here this whole time and you didn't help?" Jace retaliated when he put together what Magnus was saying.

"I did, who do you think alerted Isabelle with the footage. Its not for me to get involved directly with Clave matters besides it took me forever to navigate myself around this place and when I arrived you'd pretty much got it covered" Magnus replied, he didn't at all seem stressed about Jace attacking him, Magnus could rest that his conscious was clear.

Jace screwed up his face at Magnus' reply.

"That face does not suit you Wayland. Hold onto your hats boys and girls" Magnus announced playfully, he moved his hands in a magical gesture, all the room began to go back to what it looked like originally. Magnus smiled like a Cheshire cat and snapped his fingers. The room was completely empty there was nobody left in here, not even Magnus. The door to the studio creaked slowly closed like they had never been there.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Noise from the busy street funnelled into Magnus Bane's apartment through an open window in the living area. The cream curtains twitched as a shallow wind passed through them, the sun was getting ready to nest and pink and orange colours crept into the sky like a inky blanket laying to sun to rest. A small clock ticked away in the corner and clanged a loud sound when the small hand reached the hour. A black cat jumped down from the window seat of the window and meowed loudly, its wines caught the attention of another tabby cat that was sat licking its paws idly. There bowls were normally filled around this time, it was like clockwork Magnus was never late.

A loud clatter came from the hallway of the apartment; there were several bangs and a little shoving. The Black cat, a little skittish padded across the floor to investigate this untimely disturbance the other didn't bother and purred from where it lay comfortably on the expensive antic rug it had settled on. The cat slinked around the door way looking up at five humans trying to navigate their footings whilst another lay lifelessly on the floor. The cat let out a loud meow when it recognised its owner amongst the crowd of strangers, it curled around Magnus' legs brushing against him lightly, purring quietly as a welcome home.

Magnus took a glance at his watch and was a little shocked by the time, he hadn't realised it had been so late. "Blondie and Alec take her into there" Magnus directed, he pointed with his finger to a black wood door on the left side of the hallway.

"Wait where are you going?" Alec called after Magnus as he glided away with the black fur ball by his side. He disappeared into another room and after a mumbling the words "Cat cibum" There was a small flourish of the sound of magic and the lights flickered a little against Magnus' energy.

Alec looked at Jace and gestured for him to translate what the hell Magnus was saying. Jace shook his head a little and then replied "Cat Food"

Alec scowled at Jace who had replied like it was completely obvious and everyone understood Latin. Alec wasn't an idiot he knew a few words but Latin for 'Cat food' hadn't been one of them. He walked around Clary scarcely like she'd caught the plague. Jace cocked his head to the side as if to ask 'what the fuck, just grab her' This was exactly what Jace was thinking.

Alec swallowed and took hold of Clary's legs, they felt so fragile in his hands, he looked down at her small size four feet. One foot was shoeless and the other was covered by a faded brown boot, the souls at the bottom were a little worse for wear. A little like Clary at this moment.

Jace picked up Clary's shoulders; he rested her head against his inner arms as he closed them together. Her head adjusted a little of the movement of Jace and Alec beginning to walk.

Isabelle scooted around Simon who was just stood silently, she opened the door Magnus had pointed out and followed behind her brothers as they slowly walked with Clary, Jace taking the lead.

They set Clary's lifeless body down on the king size bed in the inhabited spare room Magnus had directed them too. The room was spacious and very modern, Clary sunk into the white patterned silk bedding beneath her. It looked as though she was lying on a cloud it may have felt that way if she was conscious. Jace took his hands from around her shoulders and place her head very gently onto the pillow beneath her. Clary's face was bloody, she had a gashed cut on her forehead it was deep and open. It had bled and beads of blood had dripped down various parts of her face, parts had begin to dry and congeal into a darkish burgundy, the rest was still a scarlet deep red blood. Jace wiped fresh blood from her lips with his shirt sleeve; he pulled strands of curly hair out of her face it was matted with blood and a little sweat. He tucked it behind her ear, and stroked her cheek a little her skin was cool and soft.

The room was silent as they watched Jace with Clary, Magnus slid through the door interrupting a little as everyone in the room stirred, Alec and Isabelle glanced at one another they had never seen Jace like this. Isabelle reached out her hands and took the remaining shoe from Clary's foot and set it down by the side of the bed as an attempt to her make her more comfortable. Alec pulled Isabelle back next to him after she'd finished, he held onto her arm a little longer than he should have, Isabelle understood it had hit Alec that this could have been either one of them.

Simon watched Jace's every gentle movement as he hovered over Clary's bedside; he was scowling down at the soft black carpet beneath their feet and then glancing at Jace at the corner of his eye. "You don't get to do that" Simon announced extremely quiet, he cleared his throat after he'd spoke and he rocked a little on his heels. It outraged the mundane seeing this kid touching Clary. Jace stopped and looked back at Jace, Jace could see in Simon's facial expression that he blamed him for the harm that had come to Clary. Jace was an expert at reading facial expressions, it was almost like a second nature to him. Especially hatred, anger and blame. There was something that burned into Jace about Simon's murky brown eyes that he was so used to seeing, but this time it was a little different. A lot of the time it wasn't Jace's fault and that's how he dealt with his father and Jonathan's blame game but this time even Jace blamed himself.

Jace stepped back from Clary in acceptance, he couldn't deny that this wasn't his fault when the whole time he couldn't get out of his head what would happen when the Clave found out, not to mention what his father would do when he finds out he disgraced the Wayland name

"This was your fault you should have protected her" Simon yelled at Jace just in case he wasn't completely clear. Which he was.

Jace didn't reply, Simon wasn't exactly the threatening party at this moment, if this got out Jace was dead. Jace's attempts to make it ok with Simon had long been forgotten not that would matter when everyone found out he'd failed in protecting Valentine Morgenstern's daughter at the order of The Clave. Even if Clary made it, he had still failed he should never have left her. Jace can't remember making such a stupid mistake even when he first started demon hunting, he'd hardly ever made a mistake and even if he had it hadn't got someone seriously hurt or possibly killed. All this talk about him being the greatest Shadow Hunter of his generation was evidently not true.

Simon was walking slowly towards Jace, he glared at it him as he passed and then looked endearingly down at Clary. His heart instantly broke as he stared down at her beautiful face she was so innocent but looked so broken. Jace looked over at Alec and Izzy who just stood, not having a clue what to do.

"Look what you did" Simon yelled distastefully as Jace, a tear began to streak down his face; He hammered his fist against Jace's chest n anger, Jace let Simon vent out his anger. In any other circumstance Simon would be concreted under the ground but Jace didn't feel like retaliating, not this time.

Simon's legs buckled underneath him in his weakness, Jace caught him by his arms preventing him from hitting the floor, Jace felt for him he really did and there was nothing he could do. If he could go back in time he would never have left, he would never have left Clary's side not matter how much she kicked against him. He would be like her shadow, that she could never escape.

"Get off me" Simon screeched in annoyance, he was vicious and volatile like a feral cat. Simon drew back and balled up fist smashed against Jace's pretty face. The Mundane was stronger than he looked, Simon pulled his hand away and squealed a little as pain seared through his knuckles that had just planted a hit on the Shadow hunter's nose. The second blow to his nose in two days, it reopened the wound that Jonathan had inflicted upon him. It instantly poured with blood like Simon had turned on a tap. It rushed from Jace's nose like a waterfall. Fear reflected instantly in Simons eyes as Jace moved his arm, instead of hitting Simon back Jace just put his hand to his nose.

Isabelle stared open mouthed at the scene she'd just watched, it was like something out of a corny American movie that Mundane's were so addicted to watching. But this was completely out of character to the stereotypical geek Mundane. Maybe she was wrong about Mundane's falling into these set clicks, maybe humans did have minds of their own occasionally. As well as a death wish, like Simon apparently did. Something that shocked Jace even more was that Jace hadn't retaliated he hadn't hit back he didn't even look like the thought had crossed his mind. He looked like a victim, like someone who was defenceless someone Jace did so hard to prove he wasn't. Jace was so used to getting beat on and hurt that he mad absolute sure he gave as much as he got. Izzy was beginning to believe more and more what Alec had said about Clary changing him, and after this Isabelle didn't believe it was changing him for the better.

"This isn't on Jace" Alec said in almost a laugh, He couldn't understand how Simon could blame Jace for this, If Jace wouldn't put him back in his place Alec had no qualms in stepping in and doing it for him.

"How do you work that one out?" Simon wasn't backing off and he didn't show any signs of being threatened by Alec. He was fight talking, He didn't feel intimidated be these people thinking they were superior. They devoted their lives to protecting him and his kind, so who was really superior here?

"By the angel, he's done nothing but run around after her, he tried to help and protect her. It's not Jace's fault she doesn't fucking listen" Alec was about to lay his fists in this kid, he clenched his fist. This was why Alec was so against this bullshit he knew this would happen from the start, he knew Clary not listening and everyone pandering after her like she was a child would get one of them hurt. This time it just so happened to be her and Jace gets the blame by Simon and the Clave and now he's fucked.

"He bangs on and on about needing to protect her and the one chance, the only time he's actually needed he fucks up. You need to stay the hell away from her" Simon's tone was a kind of sincere serious. There was no hint of threat or jealousy of Jace and Clary. His reasoning was solely because Jace of Jace's mistakes in not protecting her and Jace could read this.

Simon was absolutely ready for Alec if he wanted to come at him then so be it, his new found bravery would ware of soon and he'd go back to a snivelling weak little dweeb so he was going to make the most out of it. It was just a shame Clary wasn't awake to see it, if she was maybe she'd be able to see him as the guy who could protect her and fight her corner instead of the little boy who hid behind her at any sign of conflict.

Alec stalked towards Simon; Isabelle reached out and grabbed his arm. Alec snapped it back and looked at her a little nastily. Izzy instantly recoiled with a scowl, When Alec got something into his head there was no way of convincing him other ways. Alec always had his protective older brother instinct but most of the time it was Jace protecting him and Isabelle, Even as kids Jace would protect Alec. Alec always wanted to be the pillar of strength and chief protector out of the three and he tried his absolute best but Jace was so used to protecting himself that he didn't need Alec to do it for him and he took over.

"Leave it Alec" Jace grumbled at Alec he was watching the exchange of dirty looks between the Lightwood siblings. Jace understood Alec was just trying to defend him, but he didn't need to Simon was right, this was all on him.

"Jace I'm not letting him get away with this" Alec snapped back at Jace in annoyance. His face was screwed up and he seriously wasn't happy.

"Enough. Simon's right" Jace yelled the first word and almost mumbled the rest. "This isn't going to help Clary. Magnus make her better please" Jace pleaded with the warlock. Magnus nodded solemnly, he walked over to the real reason they were here, Clary.

Jace took one last glance at Alec and Isabelle. Alec was shaking his head at Jace in anger like he was disappointed in him for giving up so easily. Jace would not fight this, he would not fight against Simon. He was Clary's best friend, they'd grown up together, She would much prefer him there than a stranger she hadn't known very long. Simon won the rights to be by her side like he'd been all her life, at this point Jace was a nobody that Clary had known less than a week. A nobody who had put her in this situation in the first place. It was Simon she needed not him. Isabelle gave Clary a small sad smile as he passed them holding his nose so blood didn't drip down on Magnus' pristine carpets and immaculate home; he left the room and pulled closed the heavy door behind him. It clicked closed, Jace took a few seconds and inhaled and exhaled deeply before walking away.

Jace leant against the cold double glazed window pane that looked out onto the streets of New York. It had quickly gone dark; the street lights came on giving off little white pools of lights onto the streets below them. Rain began to sprinkle from the sky, showering the streets with an icy cold. The scene was quite beautiful and very picturesque; it was something fifteen year old photographers lived for. Jace wasn't the least bit interested in surrounding himself with the beauty and wonders of the world he was too busy stuck in his own mind. Condensation blurred the glass a little, Jace reached out with the palm of his hand in a attempt to clean it; the cold sent a frozen chill through the lengths of his body. Right from the tips of his fingers to the end of his toes, a shiver ran down his back and a cool drift grabbed him with both hands.

The cold shock made his heart beat a little faster, he dithered and retracted him hand instantly. He was sat in the window sill in Magnus' club. The pandemonium was absolutely desolate, it was an absolute different atmosphere it was almost scary like something from a horror film. Compared to not being able to breathe or move without being glued to two other people as you attempted to slip through the crowd, it was something quite different. One of his legs were outstretched pushed against the smooth magnolia wall to keep his balance and the other was arched so his knee was just below his chin. His hands lay motionless by his side as he wallowed in pity and self loathing, his breathing was slow and quiet and he was in a calm haze of sadness.

He caught his reflection in the window, he saw himself staring back at him. He didn't really like the image he was looking at. His perfectly moulded platinum hair was the only thing that looked rightly in place, the bruises he'd been wearing previously were still visible in a light faded grey and after today's disastrous adventure he had a few big angry black ones to add to his collection, these ones hurt the least but looked the ugliest. His nose was still dripping with blood and there wasn't a dry part of his shirt that wasn't covered in blood where he'd attempted to stop the flow. His facial bones appeared contoured by darkish black shadows of the battle, they were contorted with pain. His mouth was cut up a little, his lips were a faint pink and a little purple and his eyes were still glinting but they looked weak and tired.

Jace swallowed hard at the person he saw, he hated to think what his father would if he could see him right now, beaten by a demon he should have taken instantly, assaulted by a weak mundane and tearing himself up racked with guilt at the hurt he'd caused Clary. Magnus was trying everything in his magical realm of power to fix the broken young girl.

A shrill sound echoed through the empty club, the light was dim and gloomy. Jace's mobile phone lit up in his pocket and cast a light into the soft darkish room. Jace jumped out of his skin a little as his phone rang out, he delved his hand into the pocket of his black jeans. The light the phone had cast got brighter as soon as it was let free from the jeaned material it had been confined to. Jace looked down at his screen, with the settings he had that made his phone private only a number showed up on the screen. It was his father's number, he knew this because it conveniently ended in 666 and 99% of the time it was like answering the phone to the devil.

Jace's finger hovered over the decline button, he bit his lip a little. He decided against making matters worse for himself and clicked the green icon and the call connected. He stared down at the screen for a few seconds he watched as the seconds on his screen went up letting him know how long the call had been engaged. After 5 seconds and remembering what he was supposed to do when you answered a call, he lifted the phone to his ear.

" _Hello"_ Jace answered hollowly down the phone to the caller.

" _What took you so long boy?"_ His father's usual angry voice called out from down the phone and into Jace's ear.

Jace rolled his eyes a little and mouthed the words 'Nice to hear your voice to' in a little mockery of his father. His dad was never conventional on the phone, he never made conversation. He shouted, yelled, demanded and Informed. He never even bothered to say goodbye.

" _Sorry, I was..."_ Jace began

" _Have you found her yet?"_ His father barked over the top of his lame and pathetic excuses.

" _Who?"_ Jace asked a little confused he was so tired and in his own world he couldn't make sense of anything.

" _Jesus Christ, the Morgenstern girl who else"_ Michael screeched. Jace could almost hear him shaking his head and whispering insults about how useless Jace was.

" _Not yet"_ Jace lied before he'd even realised he had, he found himself questioning why he had but decided it was for the best to just continue with it.

" _I knew they chose the wrong kid, Jonathan would have found her and brought her back by now"_ Michael compared his sons and deciding Jonathan was the better fit, Jonathan was always the better fit.

Jace pulled the phone away from his ear and put his hand to his head as Michael yelled angrily like a pissed off dog. Every single word of it was about Jace and Jace didn't need the phone next to his ear for him to know what his father was saying.

" _Hurry up and bring her to me"_ Michael shouted as loudly as possible, Jace even heard the echo of the Wayland manor down the phone. With them last words the line went dead and Jace knew Michael would continue his fit of rage by throwing his phone and smashing up his office. But as long as Jace wasn't there having to duck and dive as various pieces of office furniture came in his direction he couldn't care less.

"Jace she's awake, and she's freaking out" Alec came skidding through the door to the club nearly ripping it off its hinges. He'd just ran from Magnus's apartment and down a flight of stairs there was no way he could of slowed down before he came crashing through the door to where he guessed Jace would be. Jace had ended one headache and been whirl winded into another.

"Come on" Alec cried as Jace didn't move an inch.

Jace shook his head tirelessly and got to his feet following Alec in his manic panic back to the apartment above.

"What the hell was that thing?" Jace heard a pleading squeal as Alec and him went into the apartment and were lead straight into the hall. It was Clary.

She was backed into the corner of the room, with her hand up as if she was protecting herself and blocking people from going near her. The poor girl looked scared out of her wits, she was looking at Simon, Magnus and Isabelle like they were a threat as though they were the demon that attacked her.

"No get away, don't come near me" Clary screamed as Simon began edging closer to her with his hands up in a surrender, he made a shushing sound with his mouth to attempt to calm her but it was like she couldn't tell who he was. She was scared of him.

Alec walked through the door followed by Jace who was reluctant to be there, he didn't want to get under Simons feet he really wasn't ready for another argument he was sick and tired of this day and it was nowhere near over. Something told Jace it wasn't about to get anymore easier or less complicated.

Clary's face instantly relaxed and she dropped her arms. "Jace" She gushed as she began a sprint across the room and latching on to Jace. She got a little dizzy and collapsed against him, Jace reached out his arms and caught her as she fell. Simon glared at Jace, and Jace seriously didn't know what the hell was going on.

"I want to go home Jace. Take me home" Clary demanded a little pleadingly, she pulled at his shirt not even fazed by the fact that it was soaked with blood.

"Your mother's at the Institute" Isabelle interjected as Jace looked at her for help.

"I want to go" Clary said in a rush, she was acting like she'd been popping pills not recovering from a head injury and a demon attack.

"Clary, you said you don't want to go to the Institute" Magnus suggested in a warm friendly voice, reminding her of her previous wishes so she wasn't confused.

Clary shook her head profusely. "I know but I'm ready. You said it would be my best bet of protection"

"And I meant it" Jace answered softly

"Then I want to go. I want to see my mother" Clary decided instantly. She understood now what she needed protecting from she prayed that she'd listened to Jace and her mother, but as a consequence to the fact that she didn't she'd nearly been killed and she wasn't sure she wanted to leave the Institute again.

Jace and Alec looked at each other as Clary marched out of the room, they had been looking for this result ever since they'd started this mission and now they had got it but neither of them was happy.

"Sometimes, A girl just needs their mother" Isabelle whispered softly to her two idiot brothers who couldn't understand Clary's serious change in mind. It's not like it was the demon that almost killed her that made her think she needed the most protection she could possibly get or anything. Isabelle shook her head at their dumbfounded faces at her sarcasm.

"You don't Iz" Alec frowned not understanding.

Jace and Isabelle both shook their heads at him leaving the room and allowing him to think about it for himself.

Alec shrugged his shoulders and smiled at the fact that they were eventually going home.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The rain fall hadn't eased any by the time everyone had filed out of Magnus' and headed towards the New York Institute. It patted effortlessly against the floor, it wasn't a calm dripping sound it was more like a heavy splattering but it sounded a little soothing just the same. The whitish lights that lit New York in its darkest hours looked a little blurred and contrasting when you looked up at them through the rain; it was like looking at them through a constant squint.

The misfit group were nearing the Institute they were a few streets away and they'd made it the whole way with barely a word to one another. Simon and Clary had taken the lead, closely followed by Isabelle who was directing them in the direction. Not with words but gestures with her head and movements of her body, when her presence shifted to the left or to the right Simon and Clary knew which way they had to turn. Simon had an arm wrapped securely around Clary and she clutched Simon's arm tightly, her head rested against his. She was tired and admittedly quiet scared.

After thanking and saying a brief goodbye to the Warlock and leaving Magnus' Simon had eased Clary's grip from Jace and rushed her to the front of the pack and away from her safety net. Jace didn't blame him, he actually agreed with Simons thinking, maybe Clary should stay away from him.

Alec walked in front of Jace, a few steps behind Isabelle. He had his hood up protecting his hair from the rain and his hands deep into his pockets. He was smiling, it was a little grin and for Alec that was as good as it got he was glad to be going home maybe with a few more people than he would have liked but at least Jace would be there. They'd hit some incidents along the way but nether the less the mission was a success, they were taking Clary to the Institute to be with her mother and they would work on training her but for now the chaos was controlled as best it could be.

Jace lagged lazily behind, the rain had caused the words 'skinny jeans' to have a new meaning as they clung to his thin legs like a second layer of skin. It made his legs feel heavy and hard to bend, his Jacket being the same material had had the same effect and his shirt had melted against his chest. Rain drops dripped from his fringe and ran down his face, the water had made his hair look like a dirty blonde. His socks were squelching annoyingly against the souls of his shoes and his feet felt they were concealed in a block of melting ice.

Jace reached up to wipe the water from his face and dithered in his cold wet clothing. He looked towards the road as a yellow taxi passed them quite quickly, it drove through a puddle on the side of the road it sprayed Jace as it whizzed through. Jace rolled his eyes, and let out a deep breath he literally couldn't remember being so unlucky, his life had began to dramatically decline in a downward spiral and he really didn't see it improving anytime soon.

Alec heard Jace's sighs of annoyance and laughed a little to himself at his complete and utter bad luck, he turned and looked at Jace his grin had widened a little bit more. Jace didn't seem even a little amused and stared at Alec wearing a deep frown and a straight mouth. If a thunderstorm was a person it would look exactly like Jace did in this moment. Alec slowed in his steps and waited for Jace to catch up to him. "Looking more and more like a mundane by the second" Alec joked in Jace's expense, Jace shot him a look.

"Think that's funny Lightwood" Jace responded, his tone sounded serious but there was a little bit of a joke in there somewhere. Jace was seriously pissed off but he thought it was kind of nice to hear Alec joking again or even talking to him at that. Jace's head picked up in Alert instantly as he heard a sound of laughter come from Clary's lips, her and Simon had began to engage in some kind of conversation and she was smiling and laughing at whatever Simon was saying to her. Simon looked down at her with a proud look and a little grin. If there was something Simon was the very best at it was making Clary laugh he had ever since they were toddlers and she never got bored or found him unfunny. That had to count for something Simon thought.

"Do you think he knows he has to leave when we get to the Institute?" Alec asked Jace, as he watched his brother looking at Clary and Simon. Jace didn't answer, he hadn't really heard a word of what he had said. Jace would hate to admit it but he would have liked to be the one to make Clary laugh. Her laugh was so infectious it was a like a bush fire, it spread rapidly of course not having the same devastating effect quiet the absolute opposite actually unless you were Alec. Alec scowled as the screeching laughter echoed into his ears, he didn't think the same as Jace it was almost like they were hearing to completely different things. Jace heard it like it was a mermaid's loving song, every word that escaped the beautiful creatures mouth was blessed by the moon as the waves lapped against the rock it was sat upon in harmony and Alec heard it like a pack of banshee's screeching out into the dark night trapped in a forest of death. Jace heard her laugh through awe and love and Alec only heard it through hatred for Clary. Two very diverse feelings were making the situation completely different from the other party. This was where Alec and Jace were clashing they didn't see things in the same way anymore and usually they thought and acted the same.

Alec wasn't completely insensitive just because he wasn't happy that Clary was smiling again didn't mean he wasn't sad because Jace wasn't. He watched Jace's eyeball movements and facial expressions, after he'd come out of his gaze of total memorisation of the laughter of a girl he'd met less than a week ago came a look of sincere guilt. The change would pull at even the devils imaginary heart strings, Jace's eyes turned from shiny blue gemstones into a deep pool of grief, guilt and heartache in one blink. His charming smile that won the hearts of nearly every female he laid eyes on and could make even a nun question their beliefs faded and was replaced with slightly upturned lips as realisation sank back in.

"Jace, this wasn't your fault" Alec spoke out, hoping it would reach Jace and not fall on deaf ears as he blocked everything out when he looked at her. Alec exhaled slightly relaxing his shoulders believing Jace was still captivated on planet Clary and hadn't heard his for the second time. As Alec began to wonder off into his own train of how he was becoming immediately jealous Jace spoke.

"It was Alec" It was a muffle and Alec wasn't sure if he'd actually said it or not, when he turned again back at his Parabatai and his lifelong best friend this time he was looking back at him.

"No it wasn't, look there was loads of reasons why this happened and it..." Alec began to sail into a full on monologue of explanation to change Jace's mind but he was abruptly interrupted by a comment which made his mind go completely and utterly blank.

Jace had completely made his mind up on this matter, he had accepted he was to blame for what had happened to Clary and that's why when he responded to Alec he wasn't at all unprepared or shocked by what he'd replied.

"It was and I'm going to the Inquisitor to tell her everything"

Alec shook his head closed his eyes tightly shut praying that when he opened them that this was all in his head and Jace hadn't just announced what he thought he heard he had. The words that had escaped his lips were complete madness, was he crazy or just plain stupid. For once in his life Alec was completely speechless and he looked at Jace with an open mouth he'd even stopped in his tracks and wasn't thinking about going any further. When Alec opened his eyes he looked across at the kid that had saved his life on countless occasions, the younger boy who he'd trained with and shared his childhood growing into adulthood with. His clothes were ringing wet through and he looked tired but not just in fatigue but with his life to and Alec only had one explanation for this and that this was Jace finally hitting self destruct.

Alec had heard many of his parents whispered conversations about Jace and the way he'd turn out. His father was adamant that if Jace's father pushed him too far he'd become someone they all feared and be so full of hatred past the point of return. His mother on the other hand never believed there was no bad bone in Jace's body, his intentions were pure and his heart was true but both of them agreed that if Jace's family life got to him so much he'd drag himself into a state of self destruction where he'd ruin his own life in the event of him not caring what happened to him any longer. Alec believed that this was the beginning of this process and if his parents were right then they were going to lose him eventually.

Jace stared at Alec frowning; it was like watching a buffered screen. Alec's eyes were like mysterious magic balls that were misty with a smoky blue, Jace couldn't read his facial expression but he sensed a feeling that Alec felt lose, and like he was a little lost. Jace couldn't make sense of why he felt this way, he expected him to be boiling with anger and shouting and swearing at Jace for his utter stupidity. In that split second Jace felt some sort of distance between them both, like Alec was pushing barriers between him and Jace making it harder and more strenuous for Jace's connection to him to get through. Parabatai rituals and powers were strange sometimes, they worked in weird and wonderful ways but sometimes they could never be worked out.

Jace reached out to touch Alec; his Jacket was cold and wet against Jace's touch but it wasn't enough to drag Alec out of this weird trance. It was like someone had cast a spell on him or hit pause on his remote.

The others had got quite far ahead by now and they were just a few moments from the Institute, they had looked around realising they were two members down from their group and were looking back at Jace and Alec. Isabelle looked sullen as she looked at Jace frowning at Alec his head was cocked to one side and Alec wasn't moving. It was like watching a curious Labrador stare at a statue before going to urinate all over it.

Instantly Jace felt a rush of anger from Alec has he began to come back to himself. "Jace are you fucking crazy" Alec bawled in a sense of ferocity. The exact reaction Jace had expected, he hadn't a clue what had happened before but Alec had well and truly found himself again Jace's ears were still ringing a little from him shouting. Clary, Simon and Isabelle looked at one another in scepticism they hadn't got a clue what was going on one minute they were looking at one another in utter silence and the next Alec began shouting angrily like Jace had just smashed a fist into his face but they'd all missed it.

"I have to do this Alec. You won't get it but I've got to" Jace was hesitant at first but he eventually uttered his reply.

The words 'you won't get it' rung out to Alec it made him change from being angry about Jace's decision to being completely angry at him again full stop. He was now back to raging at Jace again for pushing him away, ever since Clary had shown up he was pushing Alec further and further away from him and Alec hated every second of it.

"I won't let you do this. I told you she was bad news didn't I? You're as bad as her for not fucking listening" Alec lashed out, it was like he'd transitioned back into the guy that was taking chunks out of Jace like back at the cafe. Tearing into Clary but yelling at Jace for it. Jace shook his head, and walked away from Alec. He was sick of him badmouthing Clary off for decisions he was making. Clary wasn't forcing Jace to go to the Clave and admit that he'd endangered Clary and completely disobeyed the Clave's orders but if they found out and he hadn't said anything things could go a lot worse for him. Jace was sure as hell was very aware of the fact this alone could land him in some serious shit he could even be executed for this and less but he had to do this for himself and his conscience as well as it being the right thing to do. But how was this Clary's fault? He didn't understand why everything had to go back to Clary with Alec.

"Hey" Alec shouted after Jace as he stormed away from him as he hurried up the street, it was a sound of desperation almost. Jace couldn't read Alec's mind he didn't know that he was feeling like he was losing him he didn't know what this father and mother had said. Jace didn't know that he was going down a path of self destruction but Alec was almost certain he was. Clary had to be the blame for this because everything had changed since she'd got here.

Maryse Lightwood stood in the ground floor cortex of the New York Institute. She tapped her fingers against the screen on the touch screen computer in front of her. She wasn't doing anything important exactly she was trying her hardest to busy herself, the screens had flagged up a demon attack on the Cedar Academy hours ago and she hadn't heard from Jace, Alec or Izzy. She'd sent other Shadow hunter's to the scene but there was nothing, no trace of any demon attack, no spilt blood and none of her children. There was no mistake, the attack had occurred the advanced technology was blessed by the angels it never lied. When the others had came back, one of them told her he'd sensed magic and there's only one powerful Warlock in the whole of New York who would be carless and leave his trace behind, Magnus Bane. If the High Warlock was involved it only meant something serious had happened that was way out of her children's depths.

She looked down at her long well kept nails, the red nail paint had begun to crack at the edges and the edges of her nails had become a little rough. She took a deep breath in and shifted her feet impatiently, she adjusted her dress and clicked her heals against the floor pacing a little. Jocelyn traced her every move with a watchful eye, Maryse had told her it was nothing to worry about and that Clary was absolutely fine. Judging by the constant shifting and nervous body language suggested to Jocelyn there was something not right. Maryse was a calm and collected individual, she never faltered she always wore this 'mean hard bitch' look that suggested she had no sympathy, empathy or actual feeling. It's the way she remained control and got people to work under her command. Jocelyn wasn't seeing this cold hard exterior at this second, she looked a little panicked and even a little sad. She looked like a mother worried for her child, a look Jocelyn was all to familiar with. If Maryse was visibly vulnerable then Jocelyn had the right to panic.

Maryse caught Jocelyn staring at her through the corner of her eye, the red haired woman was sat at a table station on a white framed chair. She had her elbows on the table and her chin resting in her hands with her head at an angle. The woman had seemed to have calmed in the following hours since she'd showed up with her dog in tow. She'd taken her hair out of the bun and let it fall down her shoulders loosely, she'd pulled a comb through the knotted bits and left it at that. Luke had brought over her belongings and a few of Clary's things for when she was ready to come back to her. She was dressed in a plain black long thin shirt and a pair of comfortable black leggings, he clothing overlapped he thin frame their was barely anything to her but she had a lot of force all right. She had been training a little with Hodge Starkweather to keep her mind occupied. She was looking a lot less mundane and a little more shadow hunter as the hours went by, and Maryse approved a little of the transition not that she would let it show of course.

"Everything Ok?" Jocelyn asked in a suspicious resonance.

"Yes" Maryse replied assertively, she never switched off her commanding mode she was always in a boss mentality.

"You seem a little distressed" Jocelyn vocalised in a more sympathetic way, she'd began the conversation in the means to get what the hell was going on but now she seemed actually concerned for Maryse.

"What do you expect when you're sat their gorping at me and following me around like a crazy stalker" Maryse hit out, she clearly wasn't over the slap Jocelyn had inflicted. Jocelyn smiled at her kindly like she hadn't heard what she'd said.

'Kill her with kindness' Jocelyn thought peacefully trying her hardest to stay positive.

The door to the Institute flung open and bounded against the wall hitting it a couple of times, the whole place echoed its loud disturbance. Jocelyn and Maryse looked at each other instantly and both pulled out a weapon and jumped to their feet.

Jace glided through the door way as Maryse and Jocelyn stalked around the corner, relief washed over them as they saw the familiar face. The face didn't exactly look happy, this made Jocelyn think the worst. Isabelle, Simon and Clary came next, shortly followed by a stumbling Alec who had ran to catch up with Jace who he was mid argument with. They were all dripping wet and looked like a couple of rats running from a drainpipe as the water washed down. Each of them all looked battered and bruised, and worse for wear.

"Clary" Jocelyn cried out in astonishment she wasn't sure when she'd see Clary again and she'd had tried to trust Jace but she couldn't help but think she may never see her red headed mini me ever again. Jocelyn glanced over at her noticing the gash in her forehead she knew Maryse was hiding something from her, her wet hair was like a ball of knotted string and she looked like she'd jumped into a swimming pool fully clothed. Simon was stood at her side like always, Jocelyn didn't know if she should be mad at Simon for going along with Clary or thankful to him for staying by her side. Never the less she couldn't hate the kid she loved him like he was her own he'd never let Clary down in the past. Maryse had been right, she needed to trust Jace would bring her daughter home and he had.

"Mom!" Clary shrieked running in the direction of her mother, thankful to see her. She too had been thinking she may have never been able to see her mother again and after the demon attack she'd felt so bad for not believing her. Jocelyn and Clary nearly tumbled over and they clasped their arms around one another tightly. Neither of them wanted to let go but their embrace was so public they felt they had to.

"Jace I'm not done" Alec skidded into the hallway of the Institute completely ignoring the Fairchild reunion.

"You know what Alec I am. I'm done. I'm done putting up with this emotional imbalance you seem to have gained. If I wanted you being all bipolar and giving me shit and ripping into me every five seconds I would have stayed home with Jonathan" Jace recoiled in anger, he had turned as he spoke because he was walking away from them all.

"This isn't about you it's about her" Alec rebounded.

"This isn't her fault Alec it was mine I fucked up. Until you sort your shit out stay the hell away from me. I'm doing this weather you like it or not"

Jace began stomping away from Alec.

"Jace wait!" Maryse ordered. She looked over at her almost adopted son, he was covered in different grade bruises and blood. He was stood in sopping wet clothing and making a puddle beneath him. He looked exhausted and in need of a hot bath and a good night's sleep. Missions often took a lot out of the kids but Jace was always full of energy and positivity there was always a brighter side with Jace and they were often reviling in their success, not this time. "One of you tell me what the hell is going on here"

Jace turned around reluctantly, Maryse was stood in-between her two sons. Alec and Jace rarely fell out, it was almost unheard of and completely unexpected. Jace had just arrived it was like a honey mood period for the pair of them there was never anything that could drag them down when Jace comes to stay. There was something serious going on here it wasn't like a regular teenage fight because these weren't regular teenagers and they didn't fight or argue.

No one answered.

"Isabelle?" Maryse asked for enlightenment from her daughter. Isabelle was just as dumbfounded as the rest of them which was odd Izzy always knew everything about her brothers. She knew Alec had been in a bad mood all day and had been treating Jace like shit a lot and was completely hating on Clary but after the attack she believed they'd got over their bickering. She shrugged her shoulders not being able to inform her mother of anything.

"Anyone?" Jocelyn cut in also wanting to know the truth.

No one replied, no one really knew what was going on not even Jace for the most part he couldn't understand why Alec was acting this way.

"We're all about to eat. Come to the dining room all of you" Maryse ordered invitingly. She hadn't had chance to notice the mundane who lingered around Clary and her mother.

Jace shook his head, and walked away and headed towards the flight of stairs on his left. They lead to his bedroom.

"Jace" Maryse called after him, he didn't respond. He didn't mean to be rude especially not to Maryse she'd done nothing but be like a mother to him since he was a kid but he needed to get away from Alec as well as Clary and Simon. He needed to think. 'So much for having my brother back' Jace thought as he crossed the landing heavy footed, his feet squelched against the marble flooring as he left wet footprints where he walked silently.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The Institute had grown quiet as most members had retired to the dining hall; the meals at the Institute were often a public affair and apart from the guards that monitored the tech screens that showed any demon activity in New York most people attended. Jace sat at the Lightwood's table with his adopted family and any special hierarchy guests. It was like the popular table in a high school cafeteria, the head of the Institute along with their family, trainer and special guests sat here. Everyone wanted to sit their but to Jace it was no different to any other table in the room.

The smell of Chicken Carbonara and steamed vegetables seeped from the hall as a group of young Shadow Hunters walked through, they laughed and joked as they walked sluggishly to their last meal of the day. Jace breathed in the smell as he passed hastily making his way to the training rooms. The door closed as the others passed through, Jace looked through the rectangle slit in the door as they waded through the people to get their seats. Jace turned his head to the table he should have been sat at, Maryse, Robert and their three biological children sat chattering a little between one another.

The Inquisitor was sat at the head of the table, she had elbows below the table and her back straight, her guard was stood at her side whilst she ate. Jace's seat next to Alec was empty, and Alec was sulking with his elbow on the table and his fist under his jaw and a scowl on his face. He'd pushed his full plate away from him ungratefully refusing to eat and just waiting impatiently until he could be excused to he could go and sulk alone. Clary, Jocelyn and Simon were sat at a table in the far corner they'd politely declined the invitation to join the Lightwoods as they wished to catch up over their meal. Jace couldn't believe they'd allowed Simon to stay, it wasn't like he could see any more of their world than he already had so Jace guessed they'd allowed it make sure Clary stayed.

Everyone was looking at them like they were some kind of freak show, they'd all heard about the famous Valentines daughter who was raised as a mundane and now they were seeing her for themselves as well as her mundane friend. Clary would definitely be the name on everyone's lips for the next few days. Jace was beginning to see more and more similarities between this place and the high school he'd been enrolled to.

"I heard you were back from the mission" A voice called from down the corridor, it echoed around the hollow and empty space hitting Jace's ears a couple of times making him jump out of his skin a little. Jace looked up at an out of breath and very hungry Hodge Starkweather stood at the bottom of the corridor with his arms folded and his back relaxed.

"Oh yeah" Jace replied he left the door and began walking towards Hodge. Hodge had known Jace for a long time and he knew when he'd had enough and Jace looked like he'd had enough. He looked tired and like something was on his mind. "By heard I mean quite literally, what's going on with you and Alec?" Hodge questioned as Jace neared him.

"Alec being Alec, you know what he's like"

"Yeah extremely moody recently, I thought he might have picked up in mood when you came but evidently not" Hodge explained, as he spoke he examined Jace closely. This wasn't the issue that was on his mind. Jace looked down at the floor like he was battling an argument with himself in his mind he hadn't even heard what Hodge was preaching to him.

"Cut the shit, what is it?" Hodge enforced

"Hodge" Jace began. "I hate to bring it up but you trusted Valentine right?" Jace asked.

Hodge's facial expression mirrored one of his father's when Jace overstepped the line, Jace looked at him apologetically he was about to step back and apologise for overstepping. He then realised that he was Hodge and not his father, he knew he was relatively safe when crossing in uncharted waters.

"Yeah, I trusted that his beliefs were justified at the time" Hodge responded naturally, he instantly clasped his hand to his neck as the circle rune burned his skin. Jace smelt the smoke that rose from it in little black whispers dispelling into the air. Jace swallowed as the look of pain on his face was so great, his usual pale face had reddened, his veins in his forehead were visible, and his eyes bulged. Jace thought about keeping his mouth shut and not bothering to continue but Hodge had other ideas.

"Why do you ask?" Hodge asked moving his face to be in line with Jace's eye line as he'd drifted off in his own thoughts once again. "Do you think you did right by telling the Clave your part in the uprising?" Jace asked uneasily, he looked at red circle rune that was glistening with heat on the side of Hodges neck. This was only one reason he was questioning Hodge about the Circle, he wanted conformation from at least one adult that going to the Clave and confessing your mistakes was the right thing to do and he thought Hodge knew best in this case. "Yeah, I guess. I mean being stuck in here for the rest of my life isn't so bad. I get to keep you little brats in line" He snickered a little bit at the last comment to allow Jace to understand he was only joking but Jace could see pain still contoured in his face. "You mean that?" Jace quizzed.

"Yeah sure I do, have you met Isabelle" Hodge laughed for the second time.

"No I mean about being stuck here not being so bad?" Jace interrogated, he didn't find Hodges comments funny he may have but he wasn't in the mood to laugh. He picked up on the fact that Hodge turned everything into a joke when it came to being stuck here. Hodge looked down at his feet and engrossed himself in thoughts about how to answer this one, he usually fobbed everyone off with a joke but Jace was immune to them by now. Jace of all people knew what it was like to hate talking about something so he knew all the classics signs on how to avoid actually getting to the point.

"To be honest I feel like I'm going insane most days but it's better than a prison cell I guess" Hodge nodded as he spoke like he was agreeing with himself and this was the best way to explain it to Jace. Jace nodded "I wish I never had to leave" Jace said glumly as he began to walk away coming to the conclusion that the conversation was over and that pressing Hodge on the subject was unfair.

"Is this about your father?" Hodge called back as Jace made it four steps closer to the training room. He knew Jace hated going home. Jace shot him back a look, but Hodge wasn't facing him. Hodge didn't need to see Jace to understand what his reaction would be.

"What? Eye for an eye Jace. You question me, I question you" Hodge said in a little chuckle. For all the years he'd known Jace he'd hardly ever mentioned his father, if you met him whilst he was staying at the Institute you wouldn't believe he even lived with his father. He often complained about Jonathan and Hodge being his trainer he'd compared how different they are as opponents but never anything about Michael.

Hodge turned around and put a bony white knuckled hand on Jace's shoulder, Jace turned to him.

"You can tell me kid, what's going on?" Hodge's voice sounded sincere and his eyes were cool and trusting, Jace thought about it for a few seconds before answering.

This was the second reason Jace was questioning Hodge, when he began to walk away from him he'd convinced himself out of saying anything but Hodge was right it was about his father and he wasn't sure anymore. Michael enforced it in to Jace that he wasn't to talk about him to anyone else at the Institute but as Jace weighed up his options he began to realise he could trust Hodge and even if he couldn't Hodge couldn't leave the institute and he didn't know Michael that well anymore. Jace doubted he had his phone number; he and Michael weren't all that close especially not in the end.

"He wants me to do something for him, but I don't think its right" Jace finally responded, his voice was mouse like and very quiet. It was barely above a mumble but Hodge heard perfectly. Hodge lifted his head but didn't move his hand he thought about it for a while. Jace hadn't thought about his father wanting him to take Clary to him much after he'd left the manor but it's all he could think about after he'd called. He began to understand he'd lied to his father without thinking because inside he knew it was wrong. He was kind of swaying towards the idea that maybe he was purposely trying to get in trouble with the Clave so that they'd assign someone else to Clary so Jace couldn't go anywhere near. This way his father might let it go, or at least be not so angry at him for not doing as he said. Jace disobeyed and let his father down constantly since the day he could remember he didn't want to do it this time but he didn't know what his father was up to and he didn't...

"Do you trust him?" Hodge interrupted Jace's train of thought just as he was about to evaluate that no he didn't trust him not even a little bit.

"No" Jace replied assertively. He didn't trust his father, how could he? He was so dependent and pushing so much for Jace to take Clary to him and that Jace was convinced it was something more than just training. There was always something more with Michael; it was never plain and straightforward. "Then you have a decision to make" Hodge responded a little coldly, he shifted and removed his hand from Jace's shoulder. Jace looked at him questionably; he frowned at Hodge's change in stance.

"What do I do?" Jace murmured, trying to make sense of Hodge's instant disinterest.

"Well from what I understand your father doesn't usually give you a choice does he? Think about yourself for a change. You should look out for number one because no one else is going to" Hodge advised. Jace had never heard Hodge talk this way but he was correct Jace never usually had a choice, but he often went against him but nothing like this, this seemed so much bigger in some way.

"I guess" Jace said a little shiftily, he walked away from Hodge and the conversation that had got awkwardly weird. Hodge was always enforcing teamwork whenever he, Alec and Izzy trained with him; this was a complete change in heart. "You not coming to eat?" Hodge asked as Jace pushed against the door to the training room, he spoke like the last part of the conversation hadn't even happened. He instantly fell back in to an upbeat and smiling character. Jace shook his head in refusal and watched at the trainer he'd known almost six years flitted down the corridor and through the door to the dining hall. Jace shook his head to rid his mind from the confusion and went to train.

Jace got in a good couple of hours training before everyone else came from dinner and formed into the room like there was nobody in there. Jace collected his things and made his way back to his bedroom hoping not to bump into anybody he knew especially not Alec. He made it safely back; he exhaled deeply as he pushed his door open and walked through his room. He dumped his jacket and his blade on the ground as the door clicked closed. Jace stepped over his items and walked slowly into his bathroom, Jace hadn't met Alec on his way up here because he was already in his room. Alec was playing a depressing collection of songs that Jace could hear through the wall. Alec's speakers connected onto the wall of Jace's bathroom. He turned on the hot tap of his deep freestanding bath, and then pulled his shirt over his head. His tanned skin was blotched in all different coloured browns, purples and blacks. Some were bigger than others and some hurt more than others; Jace had noticed that because Alec and Isabelle were Lightwoods there bruises healed pretty quickly but Jace's didn't heal as quickly they took weeks to disappear. Jace looked at his topless chest and torso in the mirror as he waited for his bath to fill. He touched various places and winced as pain shot through him.

Alec changed his depressing music into a loud crashing metal kind of sound, the loud thrashing of drums for a baseline yanked Jace's attention from himself and back into reality. Jace rolled his eyes, he must of realised Jace was now in his room and wanted to piss him off, Jace hated this kind of shit. Alec's maturity level had seriously declined, and Jace couldn't be bothered to lower enough to give him a reaction he just undressed quickly and sank into his hot bath. He lay back and put his ears under for the water to drown out the sound of the music. Jace knew it was only a matter of time before Maryse ordered him to turn it down or better yet off and Alec reluctantly would put his headphones in and give only himself busted eardrums and a massive headache.

When Jace finally lifted his head from the water to get out of the bath the music wasn't playing so Jace assumed that he'd predicted correctly, Jace pushed his wet hair out of his eyes as he lowered his hand it splashed against the water. The swishing noise was relaxing to Jace; he never wanted to get out of the bath the warm water was made his body ache less and warmed him right through. Since he'd got soaked he hadn't been able to feel warm, but Jace knew he'd been in there a while because his fingers had began to crinkle and the piping hot water was just a satisfactory warm. He took a white soft towel from the rail and wrapped it around him quickly; the cold air sunk onto his skin and made him dither. He wiped his feet on the bath mat before proceeding through into his bedroom as not to drip water all over his floor. After drying he pulled a pair of grey sweatpants from his wardrobe and put them. After putting his clothes in the laundry basket, and straightening out a few of his things he settled down on his bed and took the first book from the top of the pile that his father had assigned to him. He was unable to concentrate, Jace listened as he heard Alec banging about next door and doors banged closed and people laughed and chattered as they passed his door. When he'd first come to the Institute it was basically empty but as the years went on it had become like a halfway house for novice Shadowhunter's who had outgrown the academy but felt too old and to independent to go back home to their parents.

Jace nestled into his thick duck feathered duvet cover that was beneath him, the silky bedding felt cool against his topless top half and the silk pillow covers cradled his head as he lay flat in the middle of his king size bed with one arm behind his head and the other clasped around the ancient seraph blade his father had given him for his birthday. The book he was reading had been discarded and was making its way towards the edge of the bed every time Jace moved.

The pages were already crumpled because Jonathan had had it before him. Not that he'd read it, he'd just scribbled all over it making it hard for Jace to read it. His father had quizzed Jonathan on it and he'd complained it was to advanced and he was simply trying to make it easier for Jace to read. Michael had explained to Jonathan that Jace had read more advanced books in Latin let alone English. Jonathan hadn't been very happy about this and he'd then attacked Jace for his father seems of favouritism to someone who wasn't him. Jace had shoved him away and went back to the studying he was doing before his father had come to check on them. He'd smiled as Jonathan eyeballed him for the rest of the day.

His surroundings had began to quieten he hadn't heard Alec stir for longer than ten minutes, There beds would be headboard to headboard if it wasn't for the wall in the way. Alec was also lying in the exact same position in his bed, right in the middle on top of the covers with his headphones in his ears and both arms behind his head. He'd been ignoring texts from Isabelle who was demanding to know why the hell he was being a prick to Jace and he'd got a text from that know it all Warlock who had saved their ass's and kept Clary from dying just hours ago. At first Alec discarded the message and ignored that one also, but after thinking it about five minutes he'd replied to Magnus' _'I got your number from a shadow hunter at the club. Today was pretty intense huh x'_ with a ' _Yeah I guess.'_ It was blunt but at least it was better than nothing he didn't want to invite Magnus to continue the conversation but he deserved a little gratitude after what he'd done. Besides Alec thought he probably shouldn't treat anyone else like shit after what had happened to Jace. Alec kind of wished it was Jace texting to him, at least then he'd know he didn't mean what he'd said about being done with him. Jace hadn't come to dinner, he hadn't seen him in the cortex, Isabelle hadn't seen him and neither had his parents or Max. Max had gone to bed in a mood because he hadn't seen Jace, Isabelle had stormed off in annoyance after lecturing Alec to get off Jace's back and Maryse and Robert were too busy to entertain him so slipped off to bed himself. Alec hoped he hadn't gone home.

The moon shone through the Skylight, it was small but it glowed holographic silver, Jace stared at it through the Skylight peacefully. A small knock came at the door of his bedroom. "Piss off Alec" Jace called out, he wasn't going to get in this again with Alec, trust him to disturb his serenity. The door opened a jar, Jace's head turned as it creaked slowly open with an annoying whine. A set of small thin fingers were clasped around the handle that were attached to a small skinny looked arm. Definitely wasn't Alec, he had long arms with big hands and spider leg like fingers. The hand belonged to Clary, she stood in the door way, her legs were crossed a little awkwardly and she leaned against the door frame and cocked her head around the door. Her red hair fell from her head as she did so.

"Not Alec but do the same rules apply" Clary called out from where she stood she couldn't really see Jace his room was all dark apart from a small dim light from inside.

"Oh Clary, urm come in" Jace spluttered a little, he didn't expect Clary to be at his door especially off of Simons leash. She waded in she turned to close the door behind her as quietly as possible. Jace sat up. She turned around, now he was sat up she could see him a little clearer. His athletically toned body upper half of his body was outlined by the light, Jesus Christ there was absolutely no flaw to this guy. "Oh sorry" Clary said realising she was intruding; her mouth was open a little as she looked at him. Jace's hesitance for her to enter was probably because of this. As much as she could look at Jace's body all day she thought he might have felt a little uncomfortable.

"Yeah, just let me grab a shirt" Jace said with a little snicker, he wouldn't have minded, apart from his scar he didn't mind girls seeing his body, but she might have felt uncomfortable. Clary turned to face in the other direction she blushed a little and smiled to herself as he got up and took a fresh shirt from his closet and pulled it over him. It didn't cover his scar but there was nothing he could do about it now, she'd probably seen a bit of it anyway because his mundane jacket didn't cover it.

"So, what do I owe the pleasure" Jace asked to let Clary know it was ok for her to turn back around, he took a place back on his bed. He scooted back and gestured for Clary to take a seat. "Sorry to intrude I wasn't sure if you'd be awake" Clary said with a smile as she politely nodded at Jace's invitation for her to sit down. Her arms were folded as she placed herself down. She was dressed in a long baggy shirt and skin tight sweatpants and a long grey cardigan type thing. "It's alright" Jace shrugged. He wasn't sure how Simon would react and he'd tried to convince himself it was better if he stayed away from her but he was kind of happy she was here.

"I couldn't sleep I kept, I kept thinking about what happened... I was so scared" Clary stuttered a little as she spoke, she was fighting tears out of her eyes a glimpses and flashbacks returned to her. An instant pang of guilt snagged at Jace's heart, he closed his eyes not trying to show that he was affected by what she was saying. She looked so terrified, Jace couldn't speak he didn't know what to say. Clary looked at Jace who was looking down as his scrunched up knees that he held pinned to his chest by his arms.

"Jace, why weren't you there when I woke up" Clary delved deep into this, she'd looked for him but couldn't find him. Alec had darted off to go and get him she could remember, but he wasn't in the room. Jace looked up at Clary; he hadn't expected her to ask. He would have imagined Simon had told her all about it by now.

"Simon asked me to leave. He blames me for what happened" Jace breathed. He watched Clary's facial expression closely to see a hint of agreement. There was none, just incertitude. "Well it wasn't" She replied angrily. She shook her head in annoyance; her hair wished from side to side from the hair hand it was hung in. "Simon should keep his mouth shut" She ranted on.

"No. It was my fault Clary, I should have protected you and I wasn't there" Jace furrowed his brow; he couldn't believe she didn't blame him.

"No I was being a brat and I wouldn't listen. I thought I knew everything and... turns out I was wrong" She trails off quieter and quieter as she flashes back to a few hours previous as she was being flung across the room by a creature from hell.

"I shouldn't have listened to you" Jace argued

"No I should have listened to you, Jesus I swear I'm going to kill Simon" Clary said firmly like she was up for no more arguing. She kind of sounded like Maryse when Jace, Alec and Izzy were trying to convince her of something and she wasn't having any of it. Like Jace imagined most mums were like when they were sick of back chat and the word no being ignored.

"He's just looking out for you; don't fall out with your best friend because of me" Jace reached out and put his arm on Clary's shoulders reassuringly. She'd had he back arched and her face in her hands like she was trying to process the whole thing. She felt comfort with Jace, and safe. Since the incident this was a feeling she'd longed to find even when she was with her mother she didn't feel safe.

"Hey what's this" Clary asked, she reached down and pulled the old fashioned Seraph blade. It had got covered over and Jace had forgotten to put it in its box.

"It was my first blade" Jace relaxed backwards taking his arm from Clary and folding them over his chest as he watched her marvel over the markings that were cut into the metal.

"It's beautiful" Clary announced breathing in, she'd never seen something so nice. Weapons didn't usually have such a beautiful design incrusted in them. "It's only been used once, I usually just keep it in the box" Jace whispered.

"Only once, did you fight your first demon?" Clary quizzed, she hadn't taken her eyes from it. It was unexpectedly light and it felt right in her hands.

"More like he fought me" Jace swallowed.

Clary looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"My brother Jonathan, he erm... cut me with it" Jace felt the words come out of his mouth, he wished he could collect them all back up again and put them straight back in.

Clary didn't know where to begin; she didn't even know he had a brother least of all that he'd cut Jace with a sword that didn't belong to him. She traced the outline of the scar on Jace's neck she saw the pain in his eyes as he spoke.

"Your own brother, I'm sorry" Clary said.

"Yeah he's insane. It's pretty gross right?" Jace said shifting where he sat, he was treading around this situation very carefully but he knew Clary had already seen the scar it wasn't long before she asked about it. He was trying his hardest to show he didn't care but Clary wasn't falling for it.

"No its not, it's beautiful actually" Clary reassured Jace, she reached out to touch him. She moved his chin with her hand so she could see it properly, she inspected it with eyes of wonder. "It's a mark of bravery" She almost mouthed.

Jace had never spoken about this with anyone, let alone anyone touch it or look at it up close but he let Clary. He trusted her, she'd moved closer to him to inspect the scar. Jace watched Clary's face, as she was captivated by Jace's beauty. Her eyes stared at him, they were always full of wonder. Her lips were pale and slightly part and her hair fell into her face. Jace reached over and pulled it from her face, she looked up at him. His face was the most beautiful thing her eyes had ever been able to capture; he looked so innocent and pure. He looked as though he'd been personally sculpted by God himself, she leaned closer to him. She felt his warm breath against her face as she was inches from his lips. Jace was locked in the moment like Clary was medusa and she had turned him into stone. Her eyelash brushed gently against his face as they came together and their lips touched briefly. Clary put her hand in his hair, it felt like silk between her fingers, his lips were so soft against hers and she eyes were closed. She wished she could stay in this perfect moment, her heart pounded against her chest but her mind was immediately blank. He helped her forget everything.

Jace embraced in these seconds his mouth was with hers, her breath was hot her lips were soft. The admiration he felt for her all went into this simple but absolutely amazing kiss. They both looked at each other as they fought to catch their breath when they pulled away. Neither of them could explain how that happened or how either of them felt but they both wore huge and happy smiles.

"I have something for you" Jace said breaking up the lovesick gazes they were sharing at this moment. "You do?" Clary murmured tucking her hair behind her ear absolutely ecstatic. Jace nodded, he reached in his draw in the dresser next to them and pulled out a palm sized grey rock it was cold against his hand. Clary opened her palm to receive the gift when Jace handed it over. "A rock?" Clary retorted.

"Close your fist" Jace advised with a smile at Clary's comment. Clary did as Jace said and balled her fist around the flat surface of the rock. She looked down at her hand and then up at Jace for an explanation

"It's a witch light every shadow hunter has at least one"

"What's it for?"

Jace took Clary's fingers and unwrapped them from the stone, instead of a ordinary grey rock there was now a pebble if light shining from her hand. Clary's fell open.

"It'll bring you light, even among the darkest shadows of this world and others" Jace informed as Clary took the stone closer to her to inspect it.

"When Jonathan did what he did, I took one wherever I went. Somehow it made me feel less scared, it might work for you to"

"Jace, thank you so much" Clary wrapped her arms around Jace in gratitude she was extremely thankful and happy.

Jace clasped his arms around her to, Clary got to her feet after they'd let go and made her way to the door with the witch light in her hand close to her heart. "My mother will be wondering where I am" She announced. Jace nodded with a smile at the beautiful scene he saw before him.

"You should make it right with Alec. I don't want you falling out with your best friend because of me" Clary opened the door, and spoke to Jace one last time. She had mocked what Jace had said minutes before. The door closed behind her, and Jace listened for a while as he heard her footsteps walk away from his room. He turned over to face the wall with the memory of kissing Clary is his mind. He drifted off to sleep with a smile of his face and a little love in his heart.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Jace was stood in a pristine chalk white suit, he was looking down at his attire like his body was here but his mind had only just arrived. Isabelle Lightwood had her arm linked into his and her head rested gently on his shoulder. The loose curls in her hair looked a charcoal black as it fell against Jace's white attire. Alec was to the left of him and they two were dressed in white, the room was full of Shadow hunter's they were all dressed the same males in white suits, women in white dresses. They had their head bowed at they looked at their shoes. "Iz, what's going on?" Jace whispered to his sister, she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Hey, what is it? Are you okay?" Jace asked impatiently. Sadness submerged Isabelle as she shook her head at him pitifully or shamefully Jace couldn't tell. Why was she looking at him like that?

Jace looked behind him for some clues of what was going on, he was in the Institute pillars towered above him and green vines and shrubbery entwined together and crawled up them. Maryse and Robert Lightwood were stood at the back of the room they avoided looking at Jace when they caught his eye. Even little Max stared at him blankly and a little disgusted, his usual happy cheerful grin he gave Jace was nonexistent and instead he looked at him with a frown and a disappointed glance. Robert took his hand and pulled him closer to him. Jace stared he was confused, why did they look too horrified to even look at him. Jace swallowed hard.

"They don't want you as a son anymore" Alec whispered quietly in his ear, his words made Jace shudder and instantly hurt Jace inside. He felt his heart ache and his chest grow immensely tight. "Why what did I do?" Jace struggled to get his words out. Alec laughed a little, it was a evil little chuckle that Jace had never heard before. "Alec please. Tell me" Jace pleaded with his parabatai, he grabbed his arm to get his attention but Alec turned his face away. Alec pointed towards the front of them. Jace turned around he saw nothing. There was nothing there what was happening?

A light shone from the ceiling and immediately something appeared. It was a white marble table, Jocelyn Fairchild stood next to it with her hand on her head and Luke Greymark's arm around her shoulders, Jace watched as she turned into Luke and sobbed loudly.

Luke looked down at the table and exhaled deeply his chest puffed out and was visible through his white shirt that clung to his upper body. He reached for something, it was a white cloth, He lifted it gently and pulled it back, locks of curly red hair spilt out beneath it, Luke let his breath go as a tear rolled down his cheek. Jocelyn's cries got louder like her heart was physically being smashed into pieces repeatedly with a sledge hammer. Luke kissed his hand and touched it to the cheek of a small pale faced individual who lay on the table below. It was Clary, It was Clary who lay on the table. She was sleeping extremely still, she was dressed in a pure white dress that was draped over her thin frame. It flowed over the table and trailed onto the floor it had floral designs stitched into it and every inch was detailed in some kind of way. She had a small flower crown with white roses around her head and her red hair fell around it. Her hands were laid very gently on her chest and she had a bunch of white roses in her hands she looked mesmerizingly beautiful. Her eyes and mouth were closed shut as she slept peacefully.

Jace forced his glance away from the sleeping Clary. If she was to wake up and see him staring at her like he thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen it would probably only make her feel uncomfortable. Jace's shift in glance now made him aware that Jocelyn Fairchild had stopped sobbing into Luke's chest and was now staring right at him. Her piercing eyes were glaring at him, a look of hatred was painted on her face. Jace's smile instantly disappeared as he looked back at her white as a sheet and a little unnerved. Tears streamed down her sculpted face, she looked at him with a look of fury. He had never seen her this way; she always looked at him so kindly.

"I trusted you" She spat at Jace distastefully, her rage was clear and she was shaking with absolute volatile anger. Luke was holding her back but she was shifting her feet like she was preparing to charge at him like an angry bull and Jace was the red flag. Jace put his hands up in a kind of surrender, he was so confused he didn't understand what was happening. "I warned you she was playing us, and now she's gone and ruined your life" Alec said before clearing his throat, Jace looked at him he was looking to the front and acted like he hadn't said anything. Jace looked around him at everyone who all glared at him like he was their prey and they were about to eat him.

Jace looked at Clary again, it hit him like a brick to the side of the face. They weren't all watching Clary sleep, she wasn't sleeping. This was her funeral, she was dead.

"Clary" Jace cried out as he attempted to run up to her. His heart had been ripped from his chest and repeatedly stomped on by his sudden realisation, his whole world was crashing around him, obliterating into millions of pieces.

He couldn't get to her, something was holding him back. Wait, he felt a grip around his waist it crushed against him. The black sleeved barrier of a person squashed his body preventing him from getting close to Clary. He just wanted to hold her, to touch her for one last time. "Please let me go" Jace begged mercifully as he fought viciously like a wild cat but despite his strongest attempts, his kicking and screeching it just wasn't enough. Everyone around him had begun to disappear and the room was plunged into the blackest of darkness. Clary was now under a spotlight from the heavens; it shone down on her and made her skin glint shimmering silver.

"Don't you see boy. You killed her" A voice echoed through the room it bounded of every wall and every floor, it made Jace feel sick through to his soul it shook the ground underneath his almost. A big bony hand grabbed him by his chin and lifted his face to look up at him. It was his father.

"Father I swear, I didn't do this" Jace answered in a sobbing whisper, he felt a tear fall from his eyes and roll gradually down his face. "You did" His father answered an evil grin resided on his face as he watched his son fall to pieces in front of his face. A little evil twisted laugh came from behind him, it was Jonathan holding him in place, he was stopping Jace from running from this or to Clary.

"No I couldn't have, I think I loved her" Jace revealed as his legs went numb and he almost collapsed to the floor. Jonathan let him go and he hit the floor with a hard force, Jace didn't even feel the pain nothing could compare to what he was feeling right now. He couldn't breathe; he couldn't stop his heart from hurting or his chest from aching.

"But you didn't protect her" His father laughed, he shook his head at his son mockingly. Both Jonathan and his Father began to laugh in a sick twisted laugh as Jace curled up on the floor with his hand on his heart. They stood over him.

"Welcome to the family son" Michael's words rung through Jace's ears.

Jace sat up bolt upright, he breathed in and out excessively as he was trying to get his coordinates as to what the hell was going on. He'd woken up with his hand on his chest and tears in his eyes, his heart thumped aggressively against his chest and his head pounded and he felt sick and dizzy with the quick movement. He put his hands to his head and collapsed back into his pillows. It was just a dream.

"Fuck" Jace whispered as he put his hands to his head, his breathing was beginning to calm but his chest was still visibly going up and down like a basketball bouncing against the ground.

The sweet morning sounds of a group of birds deep in the middle of the chorus of their songs, they all tweeted in unison. A strong wind gushed against the side of the Institute making Jace's window pane rattle in its place, it was open a little and the cold air seeped into the room and tickled against Jace's skin. His hair stood on its end as the cool temperature prickled his body.

His legs were entangled up in his duvet cover, his sheet had come off at the corners and his pillows were all messed up. He must have been really distressed.

Jace had gone to sleep extremely happy and at the top of the world, he'd begin to think that maybe it wasn't his entire fault and he didn't need to tell the Clave. He'd woken up even more determined to tell them what he'd done, his dream could have been the truth if the situation had gone the other way. Clary had been inches from death, and that was all on Jace. How could it be on Clary, she was basically a mundane she didn't know how to protect herself she'd been completely blindsided. Jace wouldn't have believed his family if they tried to tell him he was something he never knew existed either. The poor girl had had her world tipped inside out and Jace was the only one who could help her. He'd let her down as well as the Clave and that's what hurt him the most.

Jace's door swung open and clanged against the inside wall. "Morning brother" Her voice sang out like a song from a Spanish song. She was so upbeat and she appeared so excited. Jace felt a little irritated by her painstakingly happiness when he'd only opened his eyes a few seconds before. Isabelle's morning sounds were far from a sweet song, more like the percussion of a happy-go-lucky high school band who had never played a note in tune. "Isabelle" Jace replied in a scowl, he slowly turned over reluctantly. She glided into the room as the door slammed shut behind her and she began pottering about with a skip in her step, and a huge grin spread across her face. It looked like she'd been awake for a while because he face had been done with makeup and she was already clothed. She danced around towards his closet swinging her tanned skinny arms by her side. She reached her arm into the closet and pulled a black sweater from the rail. She crossed the room putting it against her body and checking herself out in the mirror, this wasn't anything new she often wore Jace's clothes to go to breakfast in. She'd then take it off for her usual clothes and it would take Jace a few months to get it back from the laundry room. She had that many clothes of her own that she had no space left in her bedroom, why she needed Jace's clothes also he had no clue. "What do you want" Jace prompted Izzy, she did come in to steal his clothes very often but the way she was acting and the way she'd rushed in and forgot to knock suggested to Jace she either wanted something or knew something. "Oh nothing. Mother just asked me to call you and Alec for breakfast" She vocalised; she had now pulled the sweatshirt over her head and over her own clothes. She smoothed out her hair as she pulled it from under the shirt; she tussled it backwards and draped it down her back. Her ebony black locks draped down her back and ended at her hips. Every strand had been combed and straightened to perfection there wasn't a curl or kink to be seen.

"Alright" Jace said rolling out of his covers and swung his feet around at the edge of the bed. "How does this look?" Isabelle asked as she preened the top of her hair and corrected any makeup discrepancies on her face. "Fine" Jace snapped, he reached over to relay his duvet and make his bed. Isabelle frowned at Jace's attitude, and turned around to glare at him with a 'Excuse me' face. Jace wasn't ever rude, not to her anyway. "Rough night?" Isabelle cross-examined as she watched Jace sort out his covers, his face was all twisted up like he was angry and annoyed and he still looked tired.

Jace ignored her as he threw the final pillow into place, he reached into the wardrobe and took out a sweatshirt for himself and pulled it over him. He slammed closed his closet door before pacing through into his bathroom shoving his door behind him letting it bang closed loudly. Isabelle almost jumped out of her skin, as bang rang in her ears and the draft blew her hair out of place.

"I would have thought you'd be on cloud nine this morning" Isabelle snarled, when Jace finally returned from the bathroom. She spoke a little passive aggressively to let Jace know his rudeness and anger wasn't ok with her.

"and why would you think that?" Jace said effortlessly as he walked out of his room and Isabelle paced behind him trying to keep up. "I saw Clary sneaking from your room last night" Izzy panted a little out of breath as Jace practically ran down the steps at the end of the corridor. Jace couldn't think about this right now. "Don't you need to call Alec" Jace said turning back and waving away from him into the direction of the stairs from where they'd come from. Isabelle looked a little taken a back, her eyebrows were raised. He'd gone for the diversion tactic instead of denying it.

"I knew it. So what happened?" Isabelle said excitedly, she grabbed Jace by the arm to stop him from going any further; she wasn't for the life of her letting this go, not a chance.

"Nothing" Jace lied; he looked down at Izzy as he tried to squirm away from her, his efforts were subsided, when Isabelle wanted to know something she usually found out and this time wasn't any different. "Jace it's me, you know you're shit at lying. I mean if you really don't want to say I'll just ask Clary" Izzy giggled.

"No" Jace said blankly. He didn't want her asking Clary, how embarrassing would that be. What the hell was this, Jace felt like a little kid being questioned by his sister about his first kiss. Jace had kissed loads of girls before right in front of Isabelle and she hadn't bated an eyelid.

"Well if you aren't going to tell me then I guess..."

"Fine we kissed alright. Now will you let me go eat" Jace replied, he finally pulled from Isabelle's grip. She nodded and presented her 'I knew it' face. She smiled, she thought Jace would be ecstatic about this, he got with a lot of girls and he was usually a little more upbeat than this. This was Clary, Izzy knew everything about connections and they have an extremely strong one and given by Jace's reaction yesterday when she watched his heart break in front of his eyes she knew he cared about her an awful lot.

Isabelle grabbed Jace by the arm and linked him; she clung tight onto his arm as they walked into the dining room. She always liked to make an entrance and she used Jace to do that, most of the young girls fancied the pants off him so she knew everyone would look at them. Isabelle's touch and grip around his arm submerged him back into the dream when she'd been holding onto him in the beginning. "Smile" Isabelle demanded to him through gritted teeth, as sure enough everyone was looking at them and Jace had a face like he couldn't wait to escape. Jace obliged, as they walked to the Lightwood table. Alec was already sat in his place, alongside his family, The Inquisitor and Hodge. His smile soon faded when his and Alec's eyes met.

Maryse gave Jace a looked and gestured towards the Inquisitor to make sure he kept in line and acted professionally. Jace nodded in a agreement as he took his place next to Alec, Alec was playing with his food he was slouching in his chair when he'd seen Jace he'd directed his eye line and was now glaring annoyed at the bacon sandwich on his plate. The Dining Hall was a little below a rowdy level of noise, it smell of bacon and sausage curled through the air as everyone chattered away and tucked into their breakfast. Jace surveyed the room; he eventually spotted Clary in the corner with her Mother and Simon. She stared at her for a while as she laughed as she was deep in conversation with her mother. A smile formed on Jace's smile without him realising. Just the sight of her made him smile. Clary noticed him eventually and she smiled back and waved a little. Jace copied this action; she had the witch light on the table next to her.

"I heard you shouting in your sleep last night" Alex leaned over and spoke into Jace's ear quietly, Jace shivered as his breath tickled his ear. Jace scooted in his chair he picked up his empty plate and cutlery and made his way over to the breakfast bar so he could chose what was going to make him feel less sick. "You were dreaming about her weren't you" Alec followed closely behind Jace, when he'd reached the food court in the corner he began again. Maryse's beady eyes watched them both every step of the way, luckily the Inquisitor hadn't even batted an eyelid at Alec's quick chase of Jace.

"No" Jace shot back through gritted teeth; he was trying not to make a scene and pretend he was picking out his breakfast in peace, they both had their backs to Alec's mother but she wasn't stupid she could tell something was going on. She couldn't have a repeat performance of what had happened yesterday at the table in front of the Inquisitor.

The Inquisitor had barely touched the food on her plate she looked down at it distastefully she wasn't much for eating in the morning especially not in a public feast. She'd never be so disrespectful to say but the food was quiet dyer. She'd watched Jace walk through the door and take his seat next to the oldest Lightwood child and was trying not to make it obvious she was looking at him. She had her hand underneath her chin and had her head pointing in an opposite direction but she stared at him through the reflection of the window as he'd quickly flitted from the table. When she'd first seen him walk into the hall, for a split second she'd thought it was her son and it hurt like hell to remember it couldn't be but it just made her believe even more that Jace was her grandchild.

"Have you forgotten I'm your parabatai" Alec prompted quietly, pulling Jace by the arm to get him to focus on him.

"No. But that doesn't mean you see what I dream. I have bad dreams 90% of the time you never mention anything then" Jace said pulling away forcefully as he took rashers of bacon from the tray and put them on his empty plate. He wasn't inviting Alec to continue this conversation and if he could help it he wouldn't bother replying to him but he couldn't help it lately he just infuriated him. Jace had never been this angry with Alec and Alec never grinded on him quite so much as he was doing.

"Yeah but I know what you feel" Alec snapped in a whisper.

"Good then you'll know I'm feeling annoyed. Leave me alone Alec Jesus Christ"

"I will when you tell me you aren't going to the Clave"

"Not a chance" Jace barked a little to loud. Maryse shot them both a look to which they both swallowed but Alec didn't give in he wouldn't.

"This wasn't your fault, stop torturing yourself" Alec continued. Jace was trying to make his way back to the table but every time Alec spoke he had to stop and reply so it didn't look suspicious, a few people had already began to look in their direction.

"How can I, I nearly got her killed"

"It was an accident" Alec yelled, he couldn't care less if he was making noise any longer if it was going to make Jace listen then he'd shout it to the world if he had to. Alec couldn't let Jace chuck his life away for some red headed bint he'd caught feelings for. Jace could have any and every girl he wanted why would he settle for her she was nothing special she was quiet literally mundane, as in species and boring and normal.

"An accident I could have prevented if I'd done my job properly" Jace said in attempts to hush Alec, this time Jace grabbed Alec by the arm and pulled him in close to shut him up.

"Or if she'd been less of a bitch and listened to us. Besides, I know you aren't going to do this or else you would have already" Alec may as well have shouted it through a tanoy because each and every person in the room instantly grew silent, every single pair of eyes looked at them and every single pair of ears twitched to listen to them. Alec had gone and done it he'd got Jace's attention but he'd also got every person in the entire buildings also. Clary especially, she watched them her eyes widened a little, her mother was also listening.

"Fuck of Alec" Jace shook his head and laughed a little, Alec seriously couldn't sink any lower right now he was unbelievable, even his own family were looking over at them in disgust. Jace turned to walk away and every pair of eyes watched as he took a few steps away.

Alec paced after him and pushed against him in annoyance.

"What by the Angel is going on with you two" Maryse spat through gritted teeth in a desperate attempt to be discrete. The Inquisitor had well and truly taken notice and he face was not a very happy one. She was glaring at the pair of them and Maryse couldn't salvage this as much as she tried.

"Running away like a coward" Alec whispered to Jace.

"Fuck you Alec" Jace snarled shoving him back away from him, Alec was pushed back a good five spaces. Jace stared at him and shook his head at Alec, he was going to prove him wrong Jace was no coward. It was about time he stopped running from this and just own up to it.

Jace walked towards the Inquisitor who stared at him a little oddly, Jace shrugged it off and believed it to be because he'd just had a fight with Alec in the middle of breakfast, it wasn't something she was used to seeing. Jace nodded his head in respect. The Inquisitor turned her head a looked at him he was about to tell her something she knew it.

"What is it child? She asked, her voice wasn't harsh and commanding like it usually was it was soft and concerned a little like Jace would imagine a grandma would sound if he'd ever met one of his.

"Jace don't, it wasn't your fault" Alec called desperately. He'd gone and truly fucked it he'd tried to talk him round but only forced him into it even more. Jace would never speak to him again if he lived long enough to be able to. The Inquisitor could be a complete bitch if she felt like it, Jace's life was nothing to her she'd already lost the people closest to her.

"What wasn't his fault? Come on spit it out boy" The Inquisitor was growing impatient. She had been secretly hoping that he was about to tell her he knew that he was her grandchild and all of her wondering and attempts to piece everything together would come to an end and she'd finally get the answer she'd been so restlessly trying to find.

"I disobeyed orders. When we were on the mission I left Clary and she got attacked by a Demon, I take full responsibility for my actions. It was clear gross misconduct that nearly cost her life" Jace rushed, he never felt the words leave his mouth but he could by the grace of god hear every word. But when he spoke he felt more and more relieved.

The Inquisitor took a breath in, and swallowed a little. She didn't want to have to issue a disciplinary action but at her duty as the head of The Clave she couldn't be seen letting this go when it was witnessed by so many Shadow hunters, if she did nobody would respect her and her whole reputation she'd built her entire career would just crumble to the ground where she sat. The law was harsh but it was the law for a reason, she couldn't be seen allowing this. As much as it hurt her heart to do so she replied in a way Jace absolutely expected.

"There will be a trial at 14 hundred hours. Jace Wayland vs The Clave" She announced to the entire hall. Everyone else was still stunned by everything before she'd spoken her announcement was enough to make everyone faint from their chairs.

Alec stared on in disbelief, his mouth was open in surprise and he was frozen to the spot he was stood.

The Inquisitor clapped her hands at her guards and got to her feet, she walked of hastily to go and prepare and report to The Clave the incident. When she was out of sight of peering eyes she inhaled deeply and hit her lip hard to avoid getting upset.

Jace still hadn't reacted he was stood still, staring in the direction where the Inquisitor once was. He hadn't even flinched. Everyone was looking at him, he chewed the inside of his lip for a few seconds and thought about it a little. He raised his head, shrugged it off like it was nothing and then began to walk away from where he stood.

"Jace, where are you going?" Alec yelled after him as he glided through the dining hall with his head held high and a smile on his face like he'd just been awarded a medal.

"Home" Jace answered.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

A red headed girl stood in the doorway of Maryse Lightwood's office, flowing curls cradled her head and fell down her back and blanketed her small pale face. Her head was cocked on an angle like she was looking at something, examining something actually or someone. Her deep concentration and the look in her emerald green eyes showed it was something she adored, they glinted and shone like bright jewels. A small smile cupped her face and presented a face of admiration and happiness entwined and tied together with a bow.

She was looking at the Angel haired, beautifully faced Shadow hunter who she'd been stealing kisses with at midnight the night before; it was almost like a romantic but heartbreaking plot to a movie. She was a little annoyed at him for telling the Inquisitor what he had; she thought she'd convinced him it wasn't his fault. You would never be able to guess she was angry at him, she felt she could never be annoyed at this kid. He had the best looks and the best intentions out of anyone she had ever met, there was simply just nothing wrong with him other than the fact that he was facing some kind of trial.

Her mother had explained to her what could happen at these trials and she had to find him instantly. She had looked in every room and asked every person she could find in a ditch attempt to find him before he went home wherever that may be. After everything she'd heard Jace tell her yesterday about his brother she couldn't imagine it was a very nice place.

Jace was sat in a desk chair in Maryse' office he had his feet on her desk and was staring up at the gigantic canvas portraits of various famous Shadow hunter's and Angels that plastered every wall. Every picture showed the great Shadow hunter's before him and he could always remember as a kid that he wanted to be on there too, he wanted to earn his place next to the rest of the great Shadow hunter's that ever lived, he guessed he'd probably blown it now. Alongside that all Jace had ever really wanted was to be appreciated, of course Jace wasn't short of attention or adoration for his looks and physic but that wasn't enough it didn't fill the gap. It was a place in a family that well and truly loved him for him and didn't make him compete for his place and right to be there. He felt that with the Lightwoods, they held him in their hearts and deeply loved him as a son and a brother. Nobody looked at him like he didn't fit, nobody treated him like he didn't belong. Of course he was the complete polar opposite to each and every one of them, he couldn't look any less like them if he tried and he could never share their blood and DNA but Jace had learnt you had to make your own family nobody comes from a perfect place, and genetics doesn't make you the same as another. Family is where you felt at home and at peace and that is how he'd felt at the Institute with the Lightwoods for a very long time. He'd felt a shift since he'd told the Inquisitor about his mistakes, The Lightwoods were very big on reputation since the circle and the uprising, Jace felt like he'd shattered the dream of his family and home with his revelation but he'd just have to live with the consequences of this and pray by the Angels they see why he had to own upto what he'd done and eventually forgive him. He didn't share their name but they'd always treated him like one of their own so he'd disgraced their name like he'd done with his biological family name but there was no other way. He couldn't live knowing he'd nearly killed the girl he was pretty sure he was in love with. Maybe he was trying to hurt himself as much as she'd got hurt and in some way that would make up for his mistakes or attempt to make amends.

Jace had to go to the Wayland Manor and get a few things, he hated to admit it to himself but he wanted to see Jonathan and his father for a last time if this was about to be the end and he also wanted his leather jacket. He couldn't be buried or thrown in the city of bones wearing a lame denim jacket. He'd be a laughing stock of the Shadow hunter world, if he wasn't already.

Jace span around the on the desk chair, as his glance whizzed past every picture stared down at him in a blurry haze, as he went around the third time he noticed red in the corner of his eyes. He put his feet down to stop himself and he span slowly around before coming to a slow grinding holt facing Clary. She quickly stood up correctly and straightened herself out, she was sure she'd been drooling over him.

"Clarissa, welcome to my office" Jace grinned invitingly; she smiled at him and laughed a goofy little laugh that made Jace snigger. Clary stopped realising how awful she sounded.

"I didn't realise you lived in here" Clary replied a little sarcastically, as she leaned against the doorframe with her back and but her hands behind her back a little nervously. Here was something about him that made her feel the most amazing feeling it was kind of jittery and she had butterflies thrashing around in her stomach but it was intoxicating it amazed her deeply. Jace smiled at her little joke, at least she'd taken notice when he'd told Alec he was going home, this was his home but he guessed he said it to piss him off. Of course she'd taken notice, the whole Institute had.

"I live threw there" Jace said crossing his legs back onto the desk, he pointed towards a wall of like a clear light blue watery substance. Clary looked at Jace in amazement; her mouth fell open as she stared at it. This world was full of wondrous things she just could not get enough of. She walked towards it slowly and reached out slowly and touched it with her fingers. It felt wet like water, it made her hand drip as she pulled her hand back out but how could water float like that it didn't make sense.

"So through here is your house?" Clary asked as she looked back at Jace drying her hand on her trouser leg.

"Through there is wherever you want to go "Jace said in an embraced smile, he got to his feet and walked slowly towards Clary. The shining blue reflected against her disgruntled face at Jace's reply.

"It's a portal, you think about where you want to go and it transports you there" Jace spoke so plainly like he was used to it, but Clary didn't hear it in the way he'd told it she heard it in the most magical way. If it could take her anywhere then why the hell were these Shadow Hunters still here she'd be on a beach in Hawaii and she would never look back.

"Really?" She expressed impressively

"Yeah. That reminds me, I should probably go" Jace cut into Clary's imagination of all of the places whizzing around her head she was trying to figure out where the hell to go first.

"I want to come with you" Jace's house wasn't the first on her list but she'd let Jace take her to hell and wouldn't bat an eyelid. She grabbed onto his arm to avoid him from leaving without her.

Jace paused for a few seconds and looked down at the grip she'd got on his arm, her hands were warm and it sank through his shirt and onto his skin. He then answered with "Clary you can't"

"Why not?" Clary was confused, why Jace didn't want her to go with him. Last night was one of the best moments of her life and she felt on cloud nine being beside him she didn't want that to end, and there was only a few hours before the trial she just wanted to spend every second with him. Her eyes were wide and full of love as she looked at him, when he glanced away from her they dimmed a little and she was taken back surprised that Jace was acting so shifty.

"Because my family are complete arseholes" Jace said.

Clary cocked her head, she wasn't sure if this was his genuine reason or it was just an excuse, she'd heard what he'd said yesterday but she didn't care. She'd like to see his brother try and attack her. She knew Jace would protect her. Besides he wasn't the same scared eleven year old anymore.

"If you don't take me with you i'll jump after you anyway" Clary tested

"It doesn't work that way, you have to be trained to use a portal or else you'll be stuck in limbo forever" Jace resided, he pulled his arm out of her grip in his protest. He wasn't sure what was worse taking Clary with him or having her stuck in limbo. At least she'd be safe in limbo. Jace took a step forward

"So I'll still jump" Clary called after him as she edged closer also

"How hard did you hit your head?" Jace laughed turning around to look at her.

"Pretty hard, but the choice is up to you Wayland, I either get stuck in limbo jumping through with you or jumping through after you" Clary announced determined. She just wanted to be with him.

"But either way it's my fault?" Jace frowned, he arched his eyebrow questioningly at how he either of them benefitted from each scenario.

"Well you're already going to pay the price for endangering my life. May as well actually endanger my life before you face the consequences right?" Clary smirked, it was a little dig at his admission for something that wasn't his fault but she didn't lay it on like Alec.

Jace shrugged his shoulders, and smiled back at her.

"Fine but on one condition " Jace subsided realising she was not going to let this go, besides he also wanted to spend all the time he had left with Clary. He just hoped like hell she'd turn out to be the miracle she thought she was and she actually got through.

"What is it?" Clary asked, she'd do anything to go.

Jace took hold of her hand. She felt tingles go through her body at the sense of Jace's touch she smiled ecstatically. The smile soon faded and her attention shifted from Jace's eyes and down to a burning sensation on her arm. Jace had taken his stele and was drawing a sort of out of proportion number 3. The top half was huge and he bottom was little and it connected through the middle with a little loop. Clary shuddered a little the pain was manageable but it fucking burnt, her skin was smoking. When Jace retreated his arm and put away his stele Clary looked down at it and frowned up at Jace. Jace wasn't looking at Clary any longer.

"Jace" Jace heard Alec's voice calling his fast footsteps echoed against the floor, moments before he ran through the door and came to an abrupt stop when he saw Jace glaring at him.

"I need to explain" Alec pleaded, he had been frantically trying to get to Jace after his parents had given his this massive lecture he'd just sprinted from one side of the Institute to the other, in case he didn't have time later he just wanted to apologise and explain to Jace that he wouldn't have done it or called him a coward if he knew he'd try and prove him wrong. Alec knew he would that's what Jace is like but he couldn't help it, it had just come out.

"I have to go" Jace said coldly

"Let me come with you" Alec's response sounded so sad and pitiful, but Jace wasn't convinced.

"Three's a crowd" Jace shrugged his shoulders, and took Clary's hand to prepare them to go through the portal.

"Oh yeah right, Hey Isabelle" Alec waved

"Isabelle!?" Clary screeched looking from Jace to Alec in complete confusion. She yanked her hand from Jace's, and marched over to the only reflective surface in the whole office, a mirror on the wall behind Jace. Alec was not wrong, she was also looking at Izzy through the mirror.

"Jace?" Clary asked questioningly.

"Jace are you crazy? She can't go through the portal she's had no training she'll end up god knows where" Alec began; he knew at a time like this h probably shouldn't interfere but he could never help himself. He's always been the older know it all brother it was hard to conform from the act.

The flash look from both Jace and who looked like his sister but was in fact Clary signalled for him to 'shut the fuck up'

"Look you have to go looking like Izzy, I don't trust my family and they know Izzy so it'll just be easier this way" Jace explained to Clary. He reached out his hand and shrugged his shoulders. Clary said she wanted to come and Jace was trying to make it happen without getting either of them killed, of course Clary didn't know that but he did.

Clary gave Jace a small appreciative smile, she walked over and took his hand as they both faced the wall of water. Alec backed out of the room, defeated. He'd fucked up and now his parabatai didn't even want to look at him. But Alec was hurt and quiet annoyed that Jace was taking Clary back home and not him. Alec barely got the pleasure to be in the Wayland's residence and Jace always argued against him being there but he just took Clary's hand and waltzed right in with her. It wasn't right.

"Don't think of anything; keep your mind completely blank. It's got to register my thoughts to take us" Jace instructed to Clary. Clary closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Jace grinned at the sight in front of him as Clary tried to make her mind blank. "Ready?" Jace called to her "I'm ready" Clary confirmed, she was extremely sick to her stomach kind of nervous but she was also a really ecstatic head rushing kind of exited.

Jace and Clary hand in hand ran towards the wall of water, Clary had her eyes screwed shut and Jace had his eyes fixed onto her. Their grip tightened onto one another just before they leapt, and with the splash which sounded like they'd dived into a swimming pool and a few seconds of silence, and just like that they were gone. Maryse Lightwood's office was left empty once again.

Two slightly wet bodies emerged into the thicket of huge pine trees that towered above them. The ground was a wet mudded surface that squelched underneath their feet as they arrived. "Fuck, we're in the middle of nowhere" Jace called out when they landed, Clary who was masked with Isabelle's face still had her eyes closed shut Jace thought it was quite comical to see Isabelle look so scared. She opened her eyes slightly and began to turn around where she stood. All she saw was tree after tree her feet were sinking into a thick black mud and she felt a little chill as a cool air swept past them. It prickled against wet skin and made her shiver a little. Her face rather Isabelle's face was a look of complete worry. She thought she'd been prepared to jump through the portal and end up anywhere as long as she was with Jace but now it was beginning to sink in how crazy that was. "At least we're together" Clary called after Jace as he began to stride towards a clearing up ahead of them. Jace knew she was trying to sound confident and unfazed by the situation they'd found themselves in. Jace laughed in response as he came to a stop at the edge of an embankment, the trees had stopped beyond that point looked like a field of grass. Clary couldn't remember thinking about this place and she had never been here but she couldn't help but feel guilty.

"Why is that funny?" Clary asked defensively yanking her shoes out the mood below her feet and jogging towards Jace. She swung around him like a pole standing in front of him and glaring at him requesting an answer unimpressed by hi dismissing her words as funny.

Jace shook his head a little a grin appeared wide across his face, he let out another laugh this time he seemed a little more amused and unfazed by Clary's interrogation.

"Hey, don't laugh at me" Clary screwed up her face and hit out at Jace with a balled fist jabbing him in the chest, she folded her arms and began to sulk like a petulant child who couldn't get her own way. For Jace looking at her as Isabelle and seeing her act this way it reminded him of when himself, Alec and Isabelle were younger and used to train, when Alec and Jace trained without her and told her she couldn't join in this was the reaction she gave.

Jace's sniggering turned into a relaxed smile and his face warmed as he rejoiced in his memories. He missed this stage in his life, he and Alec up to this point were completely inseparable and Izzy was never far behind. He felt like all of this had shifted and it didn't feel the same as it once did.

Jace took hold of Clary's shoulders and guided her body around the fact the way he was facing. Clary subsided from her sulk and cast a glance at the view Jace had been looking at, it was a field of grass but it was also the vast front garden of one of the biggest mansion sized houses Clary had ever set eyes on. Every blade of grass of the 7 acre front garden was all cut to precision; the border of the garden was edged off with an army of pine trees that were all stood to attention in a straight line. In-between each tree grew every kind of colourful wild flower you could ever imagine, there was a grey cut pathway of small circled stones leading up to the courtyard like stepping stones. A pond shadowed the bottom of the garden it was home to as kinds of colourful fish and other species such as frogs and kingfisher birds. "I wonder who lives here?" Clary asked in amazement, she was at the edge of a gardeners dream and it was magnificent.

"Yeah, I was kidding. We aren't in the middle of nowhere" Jace announced a little quietly. He purposely thought about the woods of Wayland manor to trick Clary into thinking they were in the middle of nowhere, and the reaction on her face was absolutely worth it.

"Idiot! I thought I'd never see anyone but you ever again" Clary answered shoving against Jace, she was pretending to be annoyed but she couldn't help but smile. "Hey, what happened to 'at least we're together?" Jace mimicked Clary.

"I can't believe you live here" Jace announced in amazement, her eyes were open in wonderment as she gazed at possibly one of the most beautiful places she'd ever seen. Her eyes saw every pretty sight, her ears heard the crashing water of the waterfall deeper in the woods, every flapping, buzzing croak, song or call of any and every creature filled her up with an immense amount of excitement. She smelt the smells of pond water and freshly cut grass, the green wilderness scent of nature filled her nostrils. After all of the magic, demons, angels and magical creatures she'd met in the last few days she didn't believe any of it was quite as magical as the place in front of her.

"Are you coming?" Jace yelled. Clary had been so amazed and filled with wonder she hadn't realised Jace had began to make his way across the wet grass towards the Manor house that towered above them. Clay could feel herself smiling from ear to ear as she skipped after Jace who was steaming off ahead not even mystified by any of this.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Jace's idea of hell and Clary's perception of heaven was dawning on them as they took their last steps out of the expanding meadow and were now in the court yard.

The Wayland Manor house was architecturally replicated on a late Elizabethan 'E' shaped country house preferably one that was built in 1598. It had an esquire English taste to the building work and was marvellously attractive to look at.

The building was scaled in the middle of medieval gothic architecture and Renaissance Architecture.

The building itself was built from a sandy brown coloured brick that looked like it had been kissed by the sun but shadowed a little by the moon, it was a little in between golden and sandalwood. The main body of the house was shrunken back a little from the rest of the house, it had a arched 12 foot door that split down the middle so it opened out either side. The section where the door stood stuck out a little from the rest of the main body; it was supposed to represent welcoming. Either side of this section were sets of mullioned windows directly on top of one another symmetrical each side, they were encased to the building by curved pillars that stuck out either side.

Each side of the main body was a pair of matching staircase towers, each one was just a little smaller than the main section. These also obtained mullioned windows but they were graduated at different levels but mirrored the opposite tower, they had slanted curved roofs and stone balconies each section of the house had two chimneys and decretive stone angels carved on the front.

The manor house was looked like a miniature castle to Clary, she wasn't sure why she'd describe it as miniature because there was nothing small about it but there was so much delicacy and class to it. Compared to this she and her mother's apartment was something so obsolete, she felt almost embarrassed at the fact that Jace had slept on the sofa of their poky living room when he was used to roaming around in a house of such great stature.

She felt her face warm and redden at the memory as they closed in on the doorway, she looked up at the vast door at the top of it was a golden plaque sign that was engraved with 'RESIDENCE OF THE WAYLAND'S' The letters curled and curved into one another like a type of calligraphy, it looked so pretty and homely. Each manor house in Idris was built as to represent the family that inhabited them, Jace hadn't got a clue why the Wayland's were allocated one like this he didn't see this replicating his father and Jonathan not even himself. A dungeon cellar would more fit the part for his family members and he didn't even know where he belonged, after the trial probably right next to them or in the ground.

Jace pushed the door with the right amount of force and it opened with a whining creak. The Interior of the hallway wasn't what Clary was particularly expecting; she imagined something like the inside of a castle old grey brick, carpetless, empty and cold. That was far from what she had her eyes on; it looked like the inside of one of the Kardashian mansions. Everything was a white and black modern, it didn't have stone brick spiralling staircase but had a staircase on either side of the entrance hall that curved around and lead to a platform above them to which Clary imagined followed onto the rest of the house. She looked down to the gleaming white tiled floor beneath her feet to the clear crystal chandeliers that hung from the extremely high ceiling. Their footsteps echoed through the foyer, and Jace shoved the door shut and it connected with the stone arch frame with an echoing clang.

The last time Jace could remember standing in this foyer was the day he'd met Clary and he'd stood here discussing whether or not Jace liked Clary . Jace had believed she was mundane and told Alec that he thought 'she was alright, she was nice" A pang of guilt pulled against Jace's chest when he thought about it. He knew back then that he was probably lying because he kind of liked Clary he didn't know her but he knew there was something about her that he wanted to chase. He had lied to Alec and now he was stood in that very place with the mundane who was noticeably looking at everything like she'd seen it for the first time which she had but Isabelle hadn't. Jace had told Alec that he wouldn't lie to him, but Jace now realised unintentionally he had. He hadn't realised himself how much maybe he did like Clary but whoever does the first time the catch eyes on one another. Jace wasn't a big believer in love at first sight but he felt something for Clary at first sight, it was something more than his regular chase. Jace was so used to female attention that he was blinded by it, it wasn't even a thrill when they appeared to not be interested and he chased after them because in the end he never actually bothered and then moved on. He wouldn't describe himself as male version of a slag but his life was so restricted so he never looked at girls for a relationship with, but when they are staring you in the face and they can't even pretend not to like you because their eyes are so full of love and wonder and you can barely catch your breath when you catch them smiling or looking at you then what could you do.

"Look who the devil dragged in" It was Jonathan, in his usual snide shady way he had appeared at the top of the stairway without anyone noticing. Jace was sure he glided around the place without walking and breathing. Jace stared at him in a frown like he wasn't a little bit amused; Jonathan raised his eyebrow at Jace's company. He didn't think he would see Jace for a few more weeks at least and he was very much hoping he wouldn't see the Lightwood girl until next year or never again if he could very much help it. She was gorping around their home like it was some kind of museum, like she'd had a not so terrible accident and got amnesia or something. "And you brought the whore as well" Jonathan rolled his eyes in annoyance like this was such an inconvenience to his day.

"Excuse me" Clary shrieked, she had never been called such vulgar words especially not by a stranger whom she had met once and he shoved him away from her. He had some need to talk; he looked like he was a unhinged Goth wannabe who had been dug up from the earth. Jonathan looked at her and his frown deepened his furrowed brow couldn't get any lower or else it would blind him. Isabelle never usually reacted this way; she usually just insulted him back or found other ways to piss him off. Jace grabbed Clary by the arm and pulled her back towards him, she looked at Jace in annoyance what the hell was he doing. He should defend her and tell his brother to shut his spiteful distasteful mouth; males couldn't get away with treating women this way anymore, It was the 21st centuary for Christ sake. Just because they lived in a house from the stone age didn't mean there views remained in that date also. "I'll let father know you're here. You've come at a rather inauspicious time we have company" Jonathan informed his brother in a grilling manor he sounded so literate and well spoken. Jonathan was an idiot, he was educationally declined and it was questionable whether he could actually read. He was taught the same and in the same way as Jace but he never really took to it like Jace did but if there was something Jonathan was good at it was copying. For some reason Jonathan had a hard time thinking for himself, of his self now that was easy but he couldn't think for himself so he adapted to copying. Their father mostly, and this was where he'd come this sentence from, he probably didn't even know how to spell inauspicious.

"Well I'll just get what I need and go then. No need to disturb him" Jace shrugged, he wasn't to particularly bothered about seeing his father for the last time, now he was here he didn't know why he had bothered. He wasn't usually this sentimental. "No, He wants to speak with you anyway" Jonathan protested a little gleefully like he could not wait to watch this. He flitted from where he stood and skipped off to find their father. This was everything that Jonathan lived for he was the biggest snake it the whole of Idris.

Clary pulled firmly away from Jace she was still annoyed at him for not defending her when her brother was being an arsehole. She spoke rather loudly, "What the hell Jace"

"Listen sorry, but he and Isabelle hate each other. Isabelle usually defends herself if I wade in and do it for her he's going to know something's up" Jace replied in a whisper, he reached out for Clary's arm and looked at her pleadingly. He was beginning to think this was a terrible idea if Clary couldn't pull this off they were both fucked.

"You should have said this before" Clary hummed looking away from him still miffed a bit. She wasn't completely sure why it was so vital that she kept up this act. Fair enough his family were arseholes but what did that have to do with Clary, what was the difference if she was here if Isabelle was here.

"They're pricks, I did tell you" Jace reached down to touch so she'd turn to look at him, She lifted her face back to him and smiled a little. Jace took his hand away quickly and stepped back. "Sorry, I can't. It's weird when you look like Isabelle" Jace said shaking his head feeling a little sick, he had expected Clay's pure green eyes to be looking back at him and instead it was Isabelle's Dark Brown mahogany ones. Clary wanted nothing more than to pull Jace close and kiss him but she thought about how weird it would be if Jace was glamoured as Simon and she guessed it was ok that he was put off.

Jace gestured for Clary to follow him as he began to ascend the staircase of his house, Clary had forgotten about the grandeur of where Jace lived, she was to enthralled by this whole ordeal. Jace was right his family were pricks.

A fully grown male and Jonathan walked towards Clary and Jace as they made it to the top of the stairs.

The male stood next to Jonathan with his hands on his hips and looking a little annoyed and grumpy. Clary looked him up and down. The male was about 5ft 9, he was thin framed but understandably athletically muscular. He had a darkish blonde hair that was tinted with shades of brown and there was a visible grey here and there, his eyes were a watery pale blue they looked like were painted from watercolour that had been strategically bled with drops of water. He had short stubble whiskers of a beard the same colours as his hair that grew at the lower region of his face. He was dressed in a black tee, leather jacket and black skinny jeans. He was nothing special and certainly didn't look much like Jace, the only thing similar of the two was how they dressed but nearly every shadow hunter male dressed like this. Clary looked at him a little he was one of them characters that you just expect could have the kindest of hearts but Jace didn't exactly describe him this way, and looks can be deceiving. Then again it was Jace's father and not a lot of kids think their parents were very nice, Clary didn't know whether to think maybe there were some father son issues or believe that maybe this guy was an absolute arsehole.

"Boy" The man Clary presumed to be Mr. Wayland addressed to his son, he was stood in front of him with his arms folded and rocking back on his heels. Clary looked up at Jace, he bit his lip and looked away a little before he nodded towards Michael and replied "Father"

Clary couldn't imagine herself calling her own dad 'father' if she had ever met him, it seemed so medieval and extinct. If she'd been away from her mum for a while she would probably hug her and tell her that she loved her but then her mother would address her as 'Girl' like Jace's father had called him 'Boy'. Clary thought maybe this was a Shadowhunter thing but the Lightwoods never addressed their parents this way and Jace never spoke with them with such formality.

"You've come at rather an inauspicious time, we have company" Jace's father sighed, he spoke every word the same as Jonathan had. Jace knew he'd copied it from their father. "Sorry to interrupt" Jace answered quietly but to Clary he seemed very sincere in his apology. She frowned at this, she would never apologise for coming home when her mother had company she lived there, and it would be them interrupting her home life not the other way round. She was getting more and more confused by this home situation by the second and Jace didn't even blink, he seemed extremely used to being a interruption in his own home.

"My office" Jace's father didn't seem to suggest this it was more like a demand like neither of them had a choice. His father and Jonathan looked at one another and then began to walk down the corridor in which they'd just come. Jace was hoping to avoid this; he was hoping it was going to be a flying visit but nothing was ever plain sailing being a part of this family.

Jace glanced down at Isabelle's face, but he could tell that inside Clary was climbing the walls with confusion, he knew that this was not what she was used to. Jace gestured for Clary to follow in which she obliged cautiously, her steps were in sync with Jace's. She intended to stay as close to him as possible, she felt a little scared she couldn't quite explain it but she knew in her gut that something was not right.

Noise echoed the corridors of the manor house; it was coming from the conference room. The manor house had never been so loud, not to what Jace could remember, the loudest it ever got was when he and Jonathan would bicker and then beat the shit out of one another when unsatisfied that words weren't enough to express their anger with one another.

Jace walked through the door way of his father's office; he was trying to listen to the conversations from the company his father was hosting. He couldn't make out a word of it and he couldn't make out who any of the voices belonged to, Jace had never actually seen his father with anyone. Jonathan ushered him and Isabelle further in before pushing the door closed quietly, it clicked shut.

His father didn't cross the office to take his regular seat, he didn't lean back in his chair and place his legs on the desk awaiting Jace to begin to speak. Instead he stood before Jace, his back straight his arms crossed behind his back and his chin slightly raised. He stared at him with a steel look, his expression wasn't readable and his intentions weren't clear.

A wind blew in from the open window of the office, Jace watched as it gently rippled through the piles of papers on his father's desk. His father's usual organised to scale desk was a little obscured, he had piles of papers and books scattered around, his stationary was all over the place and even his desk chair was untucked. One of the red velvet curtains that framed the window pulled back with a tie and the other was draped against the windowsill. Several of the book shelves were disorganised, the other chairs weren't in the corner side by side and even the rug was upturned.

This was seriously out of character for his father, he liked to keep every single thing in place he couldn't work or concentrate in a mess. In their whole entire house there was never one thing out of place or untidy ever, something was going on here and it made Jace feel weird. He instantly seriously regretted letting Clary come here, he had a painfully sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that something was wrong.

His father cleared his throat and snapped his fingers in Jace's face to get his attention away from the state of the office they were stood in. "I take it by your appearance you've found her" his father uttered, he raised his eyebrows at his second born son who appeared to be in a world of his own.

Jace tried his very best to avoid his father's scaling glares, he felt the burn from Jonathan's everlasting glares in the side of his face also. "No, I haven't" Jace lied.

His father let out a sharp and short exhale, his face was screwed up his mouth was tightly shut as he clenched his teeth together and shook his head slowly in disappointment.

"Then why am I seeing your face" His father said in between short inhales and exhales of breath like he was trying his hardest to steady himself. Jonathan grinned at him, he lived for Jace's failures and when he didn't even have to attempt to fuck things up for him it was all the more rich in success.

Jace gulped a little, he didn't have a clue what to reply he hadn't prepared for this. "Bring me that god damn girl, I will not ask you again" Michael ordered. Jace felt his heart begin to race a little and his palms began to sweat, He could see Isabelle's face look very dumbfounded as Clary looked at him with her head tilted and her eyes widened a little by Michael's latest statement. Jace hadn't explained to Clary his father's a gender, he hoped like hell he never needed to.

"Why, do you want her?" Jace replied, his tone was a little shady and sheepish. He was trying to show Clary by his expression that there was no way he was going to take her to his father but he didn't have a clue what she was thinking.

Michael shot him a glare "Boy don't question me" Jace's father began walking closer to him step by step. "Why won't you just tell me" Jace asked with complete sincerity, Michael never trusted Jace with anything, he wasn't that bothered but he was so desperate to know because he wanted to do everything in his power to protect Clary and if he knew why his father was so interested in Clary that would be easier.

"I have told you. Training" Michael veered his body to tilt his body in a direction away from Jace. He fiddled with his hands a little trying to plan what action to take next.

"Bullshit" Jace spat hostilely at his father, he didn't believe it and he would not be fobbed off with an answer so beyond reality. Jace wasn't thick and he also wasn't to be taken for a mug he knew this ran deeper than training. Why would his father want to help the Clave? Or more to the point Clary.

Jace's words hit Michaels eardrums like a pair of symbols being smashed together on either side of his head. It made him feel a little dizzy, like the ground had been pulled from underneath his feet. Jace didn't do this; he didn't question his father on stuff like this he knew better. Something had changed in his son since he'd left for the Institute, Michael could not put his finger on it.

Michael Wayland twisted his body forcefully; his face was confused and reddening with anger. His right hand struck the side of Jace's face, before Jace had the chance to get out the way. It made a clapping sound as it connected, Jace's expression grew a little more annoyed like he was about to bare his teeth and snarl like an extremely pissed of Rottweiler "Don't forget your place" Michael warned irritably, he could usually read Jace like a book but not this time.

Clary looked on horrified her hand instantly covered her mouth as she jumped back and fell into a sniggering Jonathan. Her actions made him nearly choke on his laughter and he caught a head butt to the mouth. She now understood that Jace wasn't over exaggerating about his father but in fact maybe describing him as an 'arsehole' was probably the biggest understatement of the year.

Michael bent down and grabbed Jace's face in his hand, his eyes were a little squinted as they levelled with Jace's, it was like they were set in stone of this sincere seriousness which took this interaction from an idle inquisition and into some lesson. "A little birdie told me that you didn't trust me. Is that true Jace don't you trust me?" Michael said in a voice a little louder than a whisper, he bent forward and said it directly in Jace's ear like it was some kind of forbidden secret, only for dramatic effect because Clary and Jonathan heard what he said.

The words at first didn't begin to register in Jace's head, he was still stuck in his head trying to figure out how the hell he was going to explain to Clary that he was supposed to be handing her over to his crazy psycho father who she'd just witnessed hit his youngest son. Jace had forgotten about Clary being raised mundane and by Jocelyn the easiest going, loving and kindest parent there could ever be. She wouldn't be used to this; this wasn't the way for her.

After maybe a minute Jace let the words sink into his head, he is immediately flashed back to the night before when Hodge had asked him if he trusted his father. Hodge was Jace's friend and mentor, he was his confidant Jace trusted Hodge. If he'd told his father he didn't trust him then why hadn't he told him about Clary, Hodge knew he'd found Clary, unless he had and his father was playing out one of his long mind games to get to the truth.

"Well, Do you?" His father questioned, his voice had now rocketed to a much louder pitch which made both Clary and Jonathan jump. Jace wasn't fazed; he just looked up at his father. His father always told him not to lie so in this case especially he wouldn't.

Jace shakes his head in response. His father's grip around his chin loosens and he drops his grip. He wasn't expecting Jace to shake his head he expected him to grovel his case that in fact he did trust him. What was happening? Michael felt like he was losing his control over Jace.

Out of a rage of temper that this conversation wasn't going his way Michael thrusts his hand towards Jace and grabs him around the throat, the force of Michael going at Jace slams him against the office wall. Jace winced as his back ricocheted off the brick wall behind him, as he bounded against it and got pinned there by force.

"No don't, leave him" Clary yelled, she leapt forward towards Michael attempting to grab at him, but before she could get a grasp Jonathan jumps after her hauling her backwards, wrestling with her flaying arms and kicking legs as she tried to defend Jace.

Jonathan holds her back.

"No Iz don't" Jace struggled to shout, he flung his hand up in attempts to warn her to back off. He also very nearly said Clary but after registering that it was in fact Isabelle everyone else was seeing he hoped saying Isabelle would make Clary realise who she was supposed to be.

On the few occasions that his father had been violent towards Jace in front of the Lightwoods Maryse had always warned Alec and Izzy not to interfere. It was code and conduct that no member of the Shadowhunter world is to get involved with how a parent raises their own children. Maryse and Robert Lightwood would never dream about hurting their own children or Jace but they were powerless to stop Michael from doing what he liked. Even the Clave couldn't interfere so neither could they. So Isabelle had never reacted in this way, Jace supposed it could be explained a little seen as her parents weren't around and Jace was her best friend.

Jace realised that Jonathan had also cottoned onto this fact as he was scowling down at the Lightwood girl as she desperately attempted to be freed from his arms.

"Take her out Jonathan" Jace pleaded as Jonathan eventually met his gaze, it was evident that Jace was in pain physically and emotionally. He didn't want Clary seeing any of this and he also didn't want her to try and save him by revealing who she really was because there was no explaining that one and Jace couldn't have her giving himself up for him. He was used to this, he could deal with it but he wouldn't be able to deal with not knowing what his father would do to Clary when he finally got his hands on her.

Jonathan waits for their father's approval, Eventually Michael nods at his eldest as an instruction that he can take the Lightwood girl out of the room, he wanted to tell Jace something without her present.

"Take her to my room" Jace motions towards the door.

Jonathan begins to drag and unwilling Clary across the room.

"No Jace, I don't want to leave you" Clary refused clawing onto any bit of furniture and strength she had not to take her eyes away from him, she wanted to be here, she wanted to protect him. She also did not want to be left alone with his creepy brother.

"He'll be there in a minute" Michael scoffed as he rolled his eyes at the process taking longer than it needed. Clary scowled at him in a hatred look, Isabelle was the Queen at scowling so Clary was hoping he got the message. She didn't trust a word he said, but she did trust Jace and his eyes looked at her with every bit of willing for her to leave as he could manage.

When Clary finally decided to walk out instead of being dragged forcefully by Jonathan, she slammed the door closed behind her and followed Jace's brother. The door slamming echoed around the room for about 20 seconds sounding as hollow as Jace felt right now.

"Do you trust them?" His father asked

"Yes" Jace responded in the most assertive way he could muster.

Michaels body begins to move in a way Jace doesn't remember ever seeing his father do. His shoulders were going up and down as well as his chest and a sound came out of his mouth that Michael Wayland didn't own. He was laughing and smiling kind of, more like a smirk but it was odd. It wasn't a happy laugh, he was laughing in Jace's face and it sounded like a 'Fuck you' kind of laugh but he never usually owned one of these either.

"Is that supposed to hurt me? Are you sure you want to play that game? You think they love you, that they are your family?" Michael cocks his head to one side, his smirk still showing.

"They are my family. They love and respect me"

"I don't have one ounce of love or respect for you but that doesn't even fucking matter because you are mine you are my kid and this is your family. You are just as fucked up as the rest of us, this is where you belong"

"No" Jace yells firmly, he did not belong here he was not the same as him and Jonathan.

His father nods at him maliciously, he casts his eyes over his son, this wasn't Jace this wasn't like him but he was getting angry and he wasn't even showing remorse for what he was saying. Michael had waited so long, he had tortured Jace with words over and over to get him to be this way but he'd just nodded and gone along with his father. Michael had wanted this reaction but he also wanted Jace to beg, sit and lie on command and there was a time and place for both and this time the latter was the reaction he wanted. But at this point Jace didn't care.

"Yes. You need to be reminded where your loyalties lie"

"You can't control my loyalty. That is mine" Jace pulled his father's hand from his throat, he was retaliating against him he controlled every other aspect of his life he couldn't control this to.

"After this mission you are done with the Lightwoods, the Clave the Institute. You'll be lucky to ever see outside of these walls again" Michael shrugged his shoulders and looked at him out of a fake sense of pity. He looked at his second born child, his face was battered and bruised and his soul looked unbearably crushed. He had a red mark on his cheek and a white impression of fingers around his throat.

"No you can't do that, I'm ordered to work for the Clave" Jace argued, Jace knew he was facing a trial by the Clave so if in the slimmest chance that they didn't find him guilty what kind of life would he even be living. He would rather be thrown into the silent city or killed than be damned to the kind of hell where he could not escape his father.

"Not anymore. I made a deal with them that after this you're done working for them. After this is done I own you" His father raised an eyebrow, he liked this sense of complete ownership.

"It does not matter what you do to me I will never be like you and Jonathan. You'll never be my family. Do you even know what day it is tomorrow?"

Michael stares at him blankly

"My 17th Birthday... Dad" he answers the latter part very sarcastically, but the first but wasn't a joke or sarcastic. Jace never really liked to make a big deal about his birthday, but he wished his father would at least remember if not the fact that it was his youngest child's date of birth but for the fact that it was the anniversary of his mother's death.

"Mom died seventeen years ago tomorrow" Jace continued weakly, it hurt him to say it out loud just as much as it hurt him to think about it. He had tried his hardest not to crumble, to make his father realise that he could not fuck with him any longer, to make him see how he treated him didn't hurt him anymore. But no matter how strong Jace tried to be the mention, reminder or thought of his mother hurt him like a pain he had never felt. It was soul crunching and earth shattering, and it was something he couldn't fight.

"Why would I care to remember that?" Michael replied rather sadistically. He laughed a little as he tapped Jace on the head and shrugged his shoulders.

Jace's heart sank, it was the kind of hurt that made every single part of his body weak and made him powerless to say or do anything.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Clary's stomach did somersaults as she waited nervously for Jace to come and join them, her head whirled with all the different questions she needed to ask and her heart hurt with the amount of feelings she was feeling. She didn't know how it was possible to feel so many different things all at once, she was angry and felt betrayed at what his father had said but she also prayed and hoped like hell he was ok. She was frantically pacing up and down Jace's bedroom anxiously she was kind of wishing she hadn't come after all.

Jace's bedroom was very different from the one he had at the institute and to the rest of the manor house. It almost felt like the rest of it had been remodelled, modernised and brought into the current century but Jace's room had been forgotten about and had been left behind. The walls were once a pristine white that had faded into a greying ill colour, the floor was a hard concrete beneath Clary's feet. The light fixing was an old black metal chandelier with a small bulb that cast a dull light, the window was also limited with light as it poured in through black iron bars on the outside of the window pane.

There was a four poster bed in the middle of the room; it was covered in a deep burgundy red coloured velvet blanket. The curtains around the bed and the ones draped over the sides of the barred window were the same colour and material, There were three dark oak book shelves fixed to one wall where he had various types of books all neatly placed in alphabetical order. There were two doors on the other side, one was the bathroom and the other was the closet. He had a small table with a glass chess board set up near his bed, the room was so cold and felt so neglected and hollow.

The only thing that looked relatively new was a piano tucked in a corner of the room near the door; it was sheen white with a square white wooden stool. It looked beautiful, less so now that Jonathan was sat at it tapping against the keys making loud shrilling sounds that echoed around the room.

Clary scowled in the direction of Jonathan who was happily striking the keys of the piano in a world of his own completely unfazed about the fact that his brother was in danger and being hurt by their own father. He looked rather happy in fact he had a small tactful smile on his smutted face.

"Your dad is evil, you know that" Clary spat in his direction as she walked towards that side of the room, she screwed up Isabelle's face in complete disdain for the man Jonathan called his father. Jonathan tilted his head from side to side as if he was weighing up the logic of Isabelle's observation.

"Maybe but Jace deserves it" Jonathan shrugs; he stopped attempting to play Jace's piano for a second and looked at Isabelle. There was something about her that was missing, he watched her paced up and down stomping feet heavily against the floor.

"Are you serious? You can't treat your children like that" Clary declared like it was completely unbelievable that not only did they fail to see it was immoral but actually a felony to hit a minor.

"Why aren't you wearing heels?" Jonathan cut in completely ignoring her rant; he had figured out that what was missing about Isabelle was her heels clopping annoyingly against the floor. Heels were like the Lightwood girls signature sound. Jonathan had never seen Isabelle without heels, you could usually hear her before seeing her.

"What why is that relevant? There you go again with your sexist views not every woman wears heels and I'm one of them Jesus Christ" Clary exploded fuelled by the angry vibes she'd been contesting with. After a moment of self observation and Jonathan's death stares of complete confusion she instantly realised that Isabelle wasn't one of them woman and she did in fact wear heels.

Clary immediately turned away from Jace's evil older brother and took a seat on the edge of his bed, she had her back towards Jonathan but she knew he was still staring at her.

She racked her brain hard trying to find a way to fix this, she put her head in her hands and felt Isabelle's wave of thick long charcoal black locks fall against her face. It was soft and thick like the end of a brand new paint brush, Clary used it as a curtain to block out the fact that she'd gone extremely pale and was getting really frustrated with herself.

She had no idea how to cover this one up, she'd done her very best so far to hide who she was but Jace's family infuriated her beyond belief and she'd forgotten.

Jonathan sat back a little on the piano stool, he looked over at Isabelle his head to one side and a sort of sick lob sided shady grin on his pale grey evil little face.

"You know..." Jonathan opened his mouth; dread filled within side Clary she felt her body instantly begin to warm. She swallowed hard and screwed her eyes tightly shut like in some way it would all go away when she opened them again. A deep feeling of sickness spread through the pit of her stomach in apprehension of what he might say.

The sound of the deepest key of the piano sounded, as it bounded of every wall the next one clanged and rang out also; Jonathan pressed the deepest keys in a methodical way, one after another in order as they became less deep and drowning. He struck the highest pitched key with a sharp movement the sudden change in pitch and tempo made the lightwood girl jump a little as she tried her hardest to shut him out. Jonathan let out a small chuckle and continued to speak "It's almost like you've had a tragic accident, and lost your memory" His voice made Clary's skin crawl it was a calm sadistic sound; every word was developed in a slow questioning kind of way. He knew something was going on and they way he spoke made it sound like he intended to find out, whatever it took. Jonathan watched as Clary squirmed in repulse and nervousness under the spotlight he had her pinned under.

"And it's almost like you've lost your mind" Clary hit out, it was the first thing she could come up with and Jace had said Isabelle insults him back. If there was one thing out of this whole experience that she knew for sure then it was Jonathan was absolutely out of his mind kind of crazy.

"Well if I have it wouldn't be very good for you, now would it?" Jonathan taunted her rhetorically his voice was ghost like; it was hollow, shallow in depth like it rolled of his tongue. There was no hint of pretentiousness, not a sign of any actual feeling present. It freaked Clary out how naturally he could say stuff like that.

"Shut up Jonathan. Izzy could slaughter you in seconds" A voice that didn't belong to either party already in the room retorted from behind them, both Jonathan and Clary whipped their heads around in unison. It was Jace, he was stood in the open doorway smiling at Clary reassuringly.

"Is that right?" Jonathan snorted, he crossed his arms across his chest in an attempt to make himself look profound and slightly insulted and the inclination that he could be beaten by a girl. She didn't stand a chance.

"Yeah, now don't play my piano, don't wear my clothes again and get out of my room" Jace leant forward and pushed the piano lid for the keys shut, it snapped closed seconds after Jonathan moved his hands out of the way. He looked up at Jace who was staring down at him with a scowl; he had a few more marks and bruises to add to his collection. As tough as Jace made himself out to be Jonathan knew really he was seconds away from cracking, He wasn't very good at hiding his feelings and Jonathan could tell Jace was broken.

"Clearly father didn't hit you hard enough, to be continued Isabelle" Jonathans top lip curled as he flashed his eyes at his brother, his thick eyebrows were arched and his contorted face appeared to get even more twisted. He gritted his teeth together as he looked at his brother and Isabelle with a stone hard exterior for a few seconds before standing up and leaving he slammed the door behind him.

Jace listened as he heard Jonathans light footsteps fade as he hurried down the corridor and down the stair tower to rejoin their father in whatever business they were attending to. He was listening to Jonathan but his eyes didn't leave a shaky unnerved looking Isabelle. Isabelle's usual preened black hair was a little shabby and sticking out, it paraded in several directions as it fell over her thin bony shoulders. Jace hadn't seen a look of fear and distrust on Isabelle's face since the night Jace had first gone to stay at the Institute and she'd hidden behind him in training room A because of the mysterious disappearance of Hodge.

"Clary" Jace whispered, the noise level almost silent like he'd actually mouthed it but his facial expression appeared to be hurt when he said Clary's name a loud. She looked back at him with Isabelle's brown eyes they were all misty and she was struggling to keep in tears that would soon be awash down her puffy red cheeks.

"He... he hurt you" Clary stuttered as the tears she was fighting began to make her sound strangled as she tried her hardest to compress everything in. She dragged Isabelle's mound of hair out of her face, a tear fell from her eyelid as she blinked and began to roll down the cheek of Izzy's face.

"No don't do this, its fine. It doesn't hurt anymore, as long as you're fine that's all I care about" Jace shook his head in his best attempts to console Clary that he was fine, he took big strides across his bedroom to get to Clary. She seemed so close but in the moments Jace took to get to her it seemed so far away before he managed to reach her she was in floods of tears and her breathing was erratic. Jace took a deep breath as he kneeled on the floor in front of her; he smiled up at her with a heart warming meaningful appearance. His eyes were comforting and sincere, he took hold of her hand and put his hand on Izzy's shoulder. He was trying his hardest to ignore that it was Isabelle on the exterior and concentrate on Clary. Inside Jace's mind was doing over time questioning why the hell Clary wasn't hitting out at him, yelling at him for betraying her, for not telling her that his father had asked him to take her to him.

"You have to know all that stuff about me taking you to him, I'd never do that. You have to believe me, I will protect you from him if it kills me" Jace protested his innocence to Clary, his voice cracked a little in expression. Clary shook her head and sniggered a little, only Jace would be bothered about Clary's feelings after what he'd just been through. She didn't care about that right now, she trusted him whole heartedly.

"I know Jace. But look what he's doing because you don't do what he asks" Clary sniffed, she let out a long exhale of breath and looked at Jace painfully. She looked at the marks around his neck; they were shaped like a large hand the outlines of fingers were shadowed by a purple colour as it was beginning to bruise.

Jace reached his hand up and wiped the tears from her cheeks, he moved sections of hair out of the face tucking them behind her ear. He didn't let go of her hand and he didn't stop smiling not for a second.

"Clary the way my father treats me has nothing to do with you. That is just the way he is he always has been and he always will be, we aren't mundane it's different for us" Jace tightened his grip on Clary hand, it was a lot to take in for her. Clary let out a sharp gasp as she tried to breathe evenly, she didn't care what kind of species he was it wasn't right. Especially not to Jace, he was the most golden hearted person she had ever met.

"But you are the kindest person in this world and the next, you don't have a bad bone in your body" Clary begins to get even more distressed as she speaks. Jace pulls her towards him and hugs her tightly, he lets out a sigh. He was so thankful for her concern and it made him feel so humble that she actually cared about him but he didn't want her getting herself into a state about it. It was what it was and that was it, he couldn't change it, neither of them could.

"And that is the problem, he hates me because I show emotion and he thinks that it makes me weak" Jace tries to explain to Clary as she clings onto him and their embrace. Clary rests her head on Jace's shoulder, her cheek touches his neck and the warmth of his body fills through her.

"You are not weak. I know I wasn't raised as a shadow hunter and I don't understand it all but I was raised mundane. For a mundane the quality of affection makes you strong, remember you are half mundane" She whimpered, she could feel Jace's pulse as she leant against his neck. Every time it pounded she heard and felt a thud, this made her smile.

Jace nodded and smiled back to her in response as they both pulled away and looked at one another.

"I think Jonathans onto us about me not being Isabelle" Cutting into the silence Clary notified Jace, she'd forgotten all senses of urgency as soon as she'd seen how broken he looked when he'd walked through the door.

"I'll just get my things and then we can go"

Jace got to his feet, the flooring had seeped cold through his jeans and into his knees. He shook his legs out of their numbness as he crossed his room towards his wardrobe.

Clary noticed something in Jace's window; she two got up from where she sat. She straightened out Jace's sheets and blanket and cleared her face before walking over to the object grabbing at her attention.

"Cute photo" Clary said as she held up a picture up of the Lightwoods and Jace who stuck out instantly.

Jace smiled from where he stood, he was pulling out his leather jacket from the bottom of the closet where Jonathan had screwed it up and chucked it out of anger when his father had demanded that he return it.

Clary placed the picture back down, something else caught her eye. It wasn't in the room but rather outside, a little in the distance but it was visible. She had to look around the bars on the window but there was some sort of mound of rubble. Piles and piles of brick on a hill above where she stood, it was a little over the trees of the forest that surrounded the Wayland Manor.

"What was that?" Clary requested, it looked like a building of some sort and it looked rather messy in the background it kind of destroyed the landscape view around Jace's families house. Jace was pulling out the creases in his jacket as he wondered over to Clary who was transfixed on something out of the window. Jace lowered his jacket and gave her his full attention; he looked at the direct line her finger was pointing at. Jace gulped a little harshly, and looked back at Clary.

"Clary I don't think it's my place to say" Jace shakes his head a little, he was kind of hoping that this was something Jocelyn hadn't kept from her because above everything else she wasn't told this was something she had a right to know about.

"Say what? Who's place is it then?" Clary retorted a little annoyed and confused, what was so secret about a mound scorched rubble in the middle of nowhere.

"Your mother's" Jace's response was a little fractured in volume he wasn't really sure how to approach it. And taking into account Clary's reaction she hadn't got a clue what she was asking about.

"Jace she has enough on her plate right now. Just tell me" Clary recoiled, what did this have to do with her mom, this was practically next door to Jace's house. Her mom lived in New York how could they be connected.

Jace fidgeted nervously, he adjusted his feet and thought about it for a little while before responding "That was Fairchild Manor" He uttered quietly.

"Fairchild Manor? Like Fairchild as in my mother? She had a house here?" This wasn't making the least bit of sense to Clary; she had lived her whole life in a small pokey little apartment with just her mother and Luke for as long as could remember and now Jace was telling her that her mother once owned a huge mansion.

Jace nods he felt very out of place giving this information to Clary, she was beginning to threat about what else her mother hadn't told her.

"Well what happened to it, why is it demolished?" She asked in puzzlement.

"Valentine burnt it down"

"Burnt it down? Was anyone hurt?" Clary exasperated

"Your mother's parents, himself and their son" Jace mumbled quietly

"So they died in the fire. Why hasn't it been rebuilt or at least cleared up" Clary lashed out angrily, she was clearly hurt by this. Grief welled up inside of her as what Jace was telling her sunk in.

"The people of Idris are convinced it's cursed because of what Valentine did" Jace tried to tip toe around everything to make it seem less horrific but there was no disguising any act of Valentine and there definitely was no great way of telling someone they were looking at the dilapidated place where their ancestors burned to death.

"So my family's legacy in this world has been eradicated just like that. All that is left is my mother" Clary twinged with hurt, she only ever had her mother but she kind of held out hope that there were other ancestors out there somewhere.

Clary closes her eyes and begins to imagine what the place would look like if it was still stood there to this day. In her imagination the green grass was a little overgrown but manageable and the rest of the garden was well kept and tidy. There is a light grey stoned walkway leading to two large arched bronze coloured doors, the entrance to a mellow gold stone building. The building was covered in red, gold and orange roses as the climbed up the walls of the house wrapping themselves around the black iron balconies on the windows at the top of the house. The roof is a brown slate, and it sloped down each side, it had a chimney that chuffed out white smoke that dwindled away joining the clouds in the sky.

Clary imagined also that if she lived there or even just went to visit her grandparents in the summer holidays that she and Jace would have become good friends maybe like her Simon were right now.

Jace takes hold of Clary's hand and pulls it towards his chest; she turns to look at him still resonating in her own imagination but still visibly hurt.

"You don't just have your mother, you have Luke you have Isabelle you have Alec..."

Clary scoffs "Alec hates me"

"You have me" Jace grimaced he cringed at himself as soon as he said it, he did mean it though. Clary smiles at him, there was a hollow silence that cast upon them as they both reverted back to the fact that Jace might not be around for very much longer. The trial was looming on them and they were running out of time together. This prompted Jace to do something he wasn't sure he had ever done before, if he had then it would have been because he had been drunk because he's never remembered it.

"Clary" Jace spoke

"Yeah?"

"It's going to sound like crazy and I know I haven't known you that long but whatever happens at the trial I just wanted you to know that I love you" He looked at Clary and saw Isabelle but he knew it was Clary inside, he could feel her presence and her heat looming around in the room. Isabelle's body was full to the brim of Clary and it looked like she just wanted to escape.

"You do?" She asked questioningly, it wasn't a question like she didn't believe him because she did bit she didn't expect it. Jace Wayland could have any girl he fancied, he had the pick of the litter and he loved her. That was the craziest part.

"Yes. I think I do" Jace nods reassuringly, the first time he had ever told a girl he loved them and meant it. Other than of course Izzy but that was different, even though Clary looked like Izzy in this moment.

Warmth spread through her, it was like a head rush sensation, a thrill that knocked her dizzily sick but made her feel on top of the world at the same time. The adrenaline was intense and the love was clearly felt.

"It is kind of crazy but I think I love you too" Clary chided, in agreement with Jace's confession. She bit her lip a little and smiled from ear to ear. She didn't care about the fact that Jace and her could have less than a day left together, she'd make every second count until the time there touch was lost. Even when they were apart she knew her and Jace's heart would still beat as one, their souls seemed to be magically entwined. She had never felt so sure of anything in her life; she was in fact in love with Jace Wayland.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The cortex of the Institute was a little crowded with young shadow hunters as they all swarmed around the interactive screens busying them. They were equipping themselves with the correct information and weapons they needed for the particular task or mission they had been assigned. Isabelle was stood at a screen trying to pinpoint the location of a demon; she had given this mission to another group of Shadow hunters seen as she was the only member of her own team present and actually civil with the other two remaining parties. She glanced idly around at the others, they were all stood together discussing strategy, preparing one another or deep in some sort of conversation that wasn't an argument. They were all hyped up with adrenaline about to tackle one of the world's dangers together, they were all in sync with one another and on the same page. There was nothing she wouldn't give for her and her two brothers to be this way at the moment.

She had trained and tried to distract her mind since the events that had happened at breakfast this morning, it had been the hot topic on everyone's lips all morning. She had tried her very best to ignore little glances and hushed whispers when he walked by. Izzy hadn't seen Alec or Jace since and she was going out of her mind with worry. Her mother and father were clearly conflicted and worried for Jace also, all she had seen them do was convene for private talks with Hodge which had ended up with her mother walking away angrily. She had tried to listen in but had been unsuccessful.

Gross misconduct and disobeying clear orders from the Clave wasn't taken lightly and the Inquisitor had been acting strangely since this whole mission had been set according to Maryse, Isabelle really didn't fancy Jace's chances of not being found guilty and a repercussion to occur for his actions.

His admission of guilt could go in his favour, but there was no possible way Jace was getting dismissed for this. Dismissal for these actions had never been heard of; his admission had taken place in front of the whole Institute there was no barging chip that could be arranged. The Inquisitor had to make an example out of Jace so every other young Shadow Hunter toed the line. The law was harsh but it was the law, he would either be banished and stripped of his runes, thrown in a prison cell in the city of bones or put to death and buried on the outskirts of Alicante. Izzy couldn't imagine which would be worse, never seeing him again, visiting him on the other side of a prison cell for a few minutes or sitting by his unnamed grave side.

A kid dressed in a long black sleeved T-shirt a pair of black skinny jeans and a famous leather Jacket slung over his shoulder instantly appeared in the hallway, where Isabelle had been staring lost in her thoughts. She was almost convinced she was imagining it because at his side seemed to be Isabelle's doppelganger. Her hair really needed brushing, she was dressed horrifically and she wore no makeup on her face but sure enough it was the exact mirror of Isabelle maybe when she woke up at least. She held a long clothing bag folded over her left arm, the metal of the coat hanger glinted as the lights from the ceiling hit down at it. The blonde haired kid wore a grin flashing his gleaming white perfect teeth, his blonde hair shimmered on top of his head and happiness and beauty radiated from him, like a optimistic prom queen at her crowing ceremony. He held hands with the girl by his side and wore a look of lovesickness in his eyes.

"If you don't let go of uglier me's hand I'll break it" Isabelle called over towards them, her heels hammered on the tiled floor of the Institute, she had abandoned her computer and made her way towards them.

Jace had to prise Clary away from his bedroom window as she stared out at what was once the home to her family, and grab his best suit out of the back of the closet urgently. They had already taken up valuable time, it was by the grace of the angels that they were able to get out of their without Jonathan opening his mouth to his father, about something not being right about Isabelle or who they had convinced them to be Isabelle. Jonathan had been setting Jace up and getting into shit ever since they were able to talk, he knew him well enough to know he would get his facts straight before going to his father. This would eradicate any possibility of him being wrong and their father being disappointed in him. But by god the kid worked quickly it would have been a matter of time before he managed to trip them up, so they should have been thankful that they were able to get to Michael Wayland's office and jump through the portal without running into his father or his brother.

Jace chuckled at Isabelle, now stood in the Institute still holding hands with who he knew to be Clary.

Jace took out stele from his pocket; he flipped over Clary's hand in his grasp and traced the thick black lines on her skin.

Before them a messy haired and slightly distressed Isabelle dissolved and in its place stood a red haired, innocent looking and pretty faced Clarissa Fairchild. The magic of glamour was in the transformation back into their former selves, it was a sense of relief like they'd just taken of a mask or stepped out of a suit. Clary could feel this sense of relief but didn't feel any different because on the inside she still felt like her. She saw a glimpse of red hair through the corner of her eye as is resonated in its usual placed over her shoulders. She was very glad to be back to herself and didn't have to think for someone else. Not that she'd done that very well, Jace had reassured her that she'd be safe at the Institute with everyone else. Even though her mother was here Clary wasn't too convinced especially because she would be saying goodbye to Jace fairly soon.

She tightened her grip on Jace's hand and leaned in closer to him, they were both still on a high and full of loving feelings after their recent revelations to one another. Clary didn't want to be back here, she didn't want to have to let go so soon.

"Sorry Izzy, I hope you don't mind" Clary spoke a little bashfully, she was embarrassed, her cheeks were a flushed pink and her eyes glinted in nervousness.

"What that you stole my identity or stole my brother's heart?" Isabelle deflected; she winked at them as she noticed their holding of hands. She smiled with pride that Jace had finally been able to be a decent guy and actually admit his feelings to a woman. It was a pity it was a little late, but late was better than never Isabelle surmised.

"Jace" A slightly bothered Maryse called from behind them, she was coming towards them in a hurried walk. Her face was red, with an expression of thunder. Wisps' of her hair were sticking out at the side of her face and her lips were pursed in angst.

"Maryse?" Jace chorused in a questioning expression to what was going on. She looked very annoyed and flustered. One of the Inquisitors guards dressed in black stood at the end of the hallway. He held his blade across his chest and stood with his back straight and his face expressionless. The guy was big built and had muscles bulging out of his clothing. He had gigantic hands like the grabber of teddy arcade game; he was tall with long arms and legs and feet bigger than Jace's in front of one another.

Maryse reached them and stood a few centimetres away, her hand expressions displayed nervousness "Get changed, they are ready for you" She announced, wavering at him.

Jace frowned, he knew this was coming but he didn't expect it to be so soon, it was all beginning to seem too real and for the first time since he'd admitted it he regretted it. He had only just told Clary that he loved her, he couldn't do this now, and this couldn't be the last memory he had. He wanted more he wanted millions of memories like the one they had just shared, like the ones he had chasing her all over New York. "Now? The trials at 2:00" Jace proclaimed, his eyes were wide with concern and he looked full of panic.

"The Clave have convened and brought it forward, because of your fathers involvement in the uprising they're considering you a flight risk " Maryse explained, she shook her head as she said so, she also felt like the room was closing in on her. She didn't know how to win this one and she couldn't do anything to protect Jace, she had tried her hardest to convince the Clave that Michael Wayland's mistakes weren't down to Jace but it had appeared to fall on deaf ears.

"Mom they can't do that can they?" Isabelle protested, she put her hands out questioningly. How could the Clave treat Jace differently because of what his parents have done, it was predigest. She watched down the corridor with a solid glare as the guard had begun to walk towards them, his shoes plodded against the floor.

"Yes Isabelle they're the law. Because you're risk the guard has to escort you" Maryse responded irritably, it was unclear if she was annoyed at her daughter's interruption or the fact that Jace had to be escorted around the institute by a guard like some kind of prisoner. It was almost like they'd made up their minds before the trial had even begun.

Jace reached out to take the clothes bag from Clary, her hand brushed against his as he pulled back with his suit in hand. She looked up at him she looked a little regretful, her heart was thumping ten to the dozen and she couldn't seem to catch her breath to speak. It was all happening so quickly, she was willing her mouth to open but her throat was closing in, she could barely get a breath out let alone a word or even a sound.

Jace understood this because he didn't really know what to say, he couldn't think of anything that would be remotely appropriate. He really didn't feel like saying 'goodbye' because by the grace of god he really wished it wouldn't be, and 'see you later' would be creating a sense of false hope. Was there any right thing to say in a situation like this?

The Inquisitors guard was stood in front of him and gesturing for Jace to lead the way. Jace grabbed Clary by the shoulders and pulled her close to his chest, neither of them said a word to one another. Just as Clary lifted her hands up to wrap them around his waist the guard put a heavy hand of Jace's shoulder pulling him away. With one slight movement the guard had freed Clary from Jace's arms and was beginning to walk away with him down the corridor. Jace didn't bother to fight against it; he admitted defeat and walked away with the henchman at his side. He couldn't face looking back at any of them; it would only make this harder than it had to be.

Maryse put a sturdy hand on each of the girls shoulder as Jace was whisked away up the corridor, Izzy shook her head in disbelief pulling away from her mother's consolation.

She held her head high and began to walk on after Jace; leaving Maryse and Clary behind. She felt every eye of every Shadow Hunter in the cortex staring at her as she walked past. She knew they had done exactly the same with Jace. They were all going to get their front row seat at the trial couldn't they at least give Jace a few seconds without turning him in some kind of freak show. They all gorped with their beady little eyes taking in every movement, their mouths slightly open and the atmosphere a concrete kind of still. She stopped in her tracks and turned to look back at them all, she raised her eyebrow at them as if to say 'what are you looking at?' and sure enough they began to stir and the cinematic experience was beginning to break up.

Jace stood in his bedroom in front of his floor length mirror, the guard was on the outside of the door after making sure his room was runaway proof. Jace had let him get on with it before he'd branded it sufficient and Jace was able to be left alone in peace to change and collect his thoughts. He didn't do a very good job; Jace could escape if he wanted to. He could go up through the skylight and down a drainpipe and be running through New York in the matter of seconds but what would be the point. He would live his life on the run and it would become some sort of witch hunt and everyone would be out for his blood. He had already dragged the Lightwoods through enough he couldn't do this to them as well. He had openly admitted his mistake and at the time he thought he was doing the right thing, now he had to face up to the consequences.

He placed his tie around the crisp upturned collar on his immaculate white shirt, he pulled it around to even it each side. A raspy knock rattled on the other side of the door, it echoed out into the empty corridor.

"Yeah" Jace called granting entry; he wasn't to sure why the guard of the Clave had now resided to knocking he didn't care about his privacy minutes before.

"Looking sharp kid" Robert Lightwoods voice called from behind him, Jace shot a quick glance over at him. He wasn't expecting it to Robert Lightwood; he usually took a back seat in these kinds of things.

"I just thought you might need help with that, you've never seen to be able to get it right" Robert chuckled as he watched Jace struggle putting his tie correctly. When he reached his adopted son he took the tie out of his hands and began to fiddle with it to unloosen it. Robert Lightwood had been the dad who had taught Jace this kind of thing. He had taught him how to tie his shoelaces and helped him to button his shirt correctly. As of now he was able to do all these things but tying his tie was just something he could absolutely never grasp.

"You know I've never thanked you for everything you've done for me Robert..." Jace began, as he looked down at the person who had treated him like an actual son.

Robert looked up at the grown up teenager he had seen grow since he was a little child with kind empathising eyes. His dark brown eyes were exactly the same size and shape as Isabelle's and they looked at him in the same way. He looked at Jace through eyes of love and endearment.

"You don't need to thank me. I need to thank you"

When Robert had first met Jace he was a shy little kid who had been ridiculed by his father and bullied by his older brother. He was small, thin and didn't have a bad bone in his body. Robert's first thoughts were that Alec and Isabelle would lead him and help better him but seeing how weak he looked Robert didn't believe Jace would become who he was today. Jace took it upon himself at eleven years old to protect Alec and Isabelle. He lead them, he made them stronger. He listened to their woes and prepared them for anything they were about to face. Jace was one of the strongest most powerful Shadow Hunter's and not just of his own generation either. He'd done everything and accomplished his career around love and passion to protect the world and his friends. Robert at this moment realised that he was wrong about Jace. Back then and right now, Jace wouldn't be used as a weapon his heart was to pure.

"Thank me? Why all I've done is drag your name through the mud, a reputation you have worked so hard for" Jace scoffed in puzzlement, The Lightwood's owed Jace no thanks not after what he'd done these last few days he thought.

Robert's lips thinned, and he blinked. He put Jace's tie through a loop, he opened his mouth and spoke the truest of words he actually ever had.

"You keep our children safe. You have been the greatest best friend and brother to Alec, Isabelle and Max that any parent could ever wish for a child. You've been the best son to Maryse and I. You keep this family whole Jace"

"Screwed that up now haven't I" Jace groaned pessimistically, he didn't take to comments very well especially ones he didn't feel he deserved but he was very grateful to Robert for saying it.

Jace felt the tie tightening around his neck as Robert pushed it to his collar. "You never know Jace, I've been told the Inquisitor had softened in her old age, and with your admission and the fact you've been working for them since you were eleven you've got a chance I'd say" Robert shrugged off like a complete optimist, He was trying his hardest to reassure Jace and convince him that it would be ok but he wasn't sure about how much he believed himself.

Jace began pulling down his collar hiding the tie around his neck from view.

"Just tell me one thing?" Jace requested

"Sure what is it?" Robert raised his eyebrow in wonder; he lifted his hand to pull his dark hair from his face.

"They're going to crucify me about my father being a part of the circle aren't they?" Jace mumbled.

Robert stepped back and put his hands on his hips, Jace was an extremely smart kid there was no point in trying to lie to him he knew how this kind of thing worked.

He nodded his head in response, he really wished he didn't have to but that was the truth. The Clave didn't take to kindly to the children of parents who had gone against them at the risk of them repeating the same actions. Especially not the Inquisitor who blamed everyone involved with the circle and their immediate family, for the death of her son.

Jace shook his head, his expression reflected defeat. There was no way he could explain or prove he wasn't like his father and he wasn't planning a demonic uprising where he wanted to eradicate all down worlders from existence. His father never did this but he was a part of it and so was the Inquisitors son.

"There's something you should now" Jace said in a muffled tone as he put his head in his hands an exhaled deeply. He was trying his best to calm himself if we worked himself up to much he wouldn't even be able to put up a good fight for a freedom he wasn't sure he even wanted.

"What is it?" Robert asked

"Well it's two things actually" Jace conferred, if he wasn't going to be around then he had to have someone watching out for Clary. Someone he trusted and someone in a high place.

"Go on" Robert reluctantly chides, he was a little apprehensive about what Jace was about to say. He knew all too well that his children were very good a keeping secretes that weren't always best kept and by the time they share them it was often too late.

"My father made a deal with The Clave that if I find Clary that they have to release me from working for them. So by a miracle of the angels that I get let go I can't come back here. I'll be living in Idris permanently and I don't think he's going to let me see any of you again. I don't want to tell Alec and Izzy not if I don't have to" Jace began to explain, he didn't feel any longer that this was a possibility and he was still hoping to a point that he didn't get freed. But he wouldn't be Jace if he didn't hope for some kind of perfect outcome, where he could live his life like he always had. It was a pointless well wishing hope that wouldn't happen but he couldn't help dragging himself through pain wishing for it anyway.

"Wait... What? When" Robert stuttered he knew this day would come one time but he was never prepared for it. He was a little taken back by it and could barely process it.

"That leads me onto my second point; he wants me to take Clary to him. I don't know why but he's getting impatient and I don't trust his intentions. So if I don't get let go you have to protect her please" Jace pleaded

After some time to take in every aspect of what Jace had revealed in all its depths of confusion, he put together something that sounded like it covered most of it remotely. It was typical of Jace to be caring about other people's safety when his life was on the line.

"The first thing you know I can't change, it's a real shame. This family isn't a family without you. The second however I can help with, I'll do everything to protect her you have my word" He reached up his hand on Jace's shoulder and nods at him as a silent decree of his promise. Jace smiles and nods back.

Robert reaches down to Jace's bed where he has his suit Jacket laid out and his leather jacket placed next to it.

"Wear this" Robert said picking up the preferred jacket and shoving it towards him. Jace looked at him not convinced.

"You aren't Jace Wayland without a leather jacket" Robert laughed stepping back from him.

It didn't matter if Jace went in that court room wearing, a full suit, Josephs' Technicolor dream coat or a bin bag the decision was already made. Jace's fate was already sealed.

He pulled the jacket around his body, sliding his arms in and pulling around him comfortably. He looked at himself in the mirror he was somewhere around a smart dressed biker going to a funeral, but it would do.

"Come on then son" Robert grabbed Jace by the shoulder and guided him out of the room.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

A low inhaling and exhaling cast a whispered shadow around a deserted and a solace silent Institute. People had gradually faded, relinquishing their responsibilities and taking their place in a room Jace could barely face entering. Jace shifted nervously on his feet, as his shoes brushed against the tiled flooring it liberated a screech that echoed a vehement sound repeatedly. Any kind of sound was heard and rippled several times from wall to wall and back again.

Even in this extreme tranquillity Jace still couldn't hear himself think, every single thing Jace had ever done to be the person he was today was all circling around in his mind. Every negative emotion, every negative thought and feeling was crashing down upon him. He felt a force of weight pinning him to the ground, all he wanted to do was to run, to kick out his heels and sprint as far as he could possibly get in a spontaneous witless attempt at freedom, to not have to think about this for another second. But excruciating guilt and egotistical stupid decisions was what had got him here in the first place. He felt like he had to own up to his mistakes as a sense of duty, of a way to repent for hurting the girl he was so infatuated with.

The reconciliation attempts may be what hurt Clary the most, this realisation had hit Jace way too late and here he was. The brave facade had crumbled to nothing as soon as Robert left him alone, and Jace couldn't muster any positive feelings because he was overcome with regret and dread.

The Clave's guard hovered closely to him, he was growing impatient, and his hard stony expression had amplified into a degree of annoyance. Thankfully it was allowed for an individual awaiting a trial to take as long as they wish to collect their thoughts and muster up the courage to face their impending fate.

A movement came from behind them it was tapping that grew louder and stronger with every lingering second that passed. Both Jace and the guard turned their heads simultaneously, the sound was footsteps as a pair of black polished shoes made their way from the staircase to the vicinity in which they stood. Jace would know these posh preppy shoes with a shining silver buckle around the tongue anywhere. They were Alec's.

Jace pulled his eyes away from the shoes, and let his eyes travel further. Alec was dressed in a plain jet black suit; his blazer was buttoned over his freshly ironed crisp white shirt with three buttons. His trousers were pulled up above his waist and the tip of his long black tie was cut off from view. Alec did not return Jace's glances, he did not meet his eye, he kept his head held high and looked straight ahead. His posture was impeccable, you would have thought it was Alec on trial not him. His obsidian black loosely curled hair had been placed in a natural windswept fashion but looked neat and well kept, his eyes were narrowed and presented a theme that he wasn't welcoming discussion. Alec passed swiftly by Jace, he lifted up his arm and glanced down at a silver watch that was wrapped around his thin wrists. He took a deep breath and continued relaxing his shoulders and showing no emotion.

"Alec" Jace called after him softly as he put his hand on the door handle to enter the room Jace was so afraid to.

Alec closed his bottomless pool of china blue eyes, his thick long eyelashes brushed against the bottom of his eye socket. He clenched his teeth together; he exhaled sharply and looked down to the floor. Every micro-movement he did with his body broadcasted a feeling of uncomforted annoyance.

"What Jace?" Alec sniped looking back at his former best friend. The apologetic remorseful kid Jace had brushed off in anger hours earlier had now faded and was replaced with something of the diverse opposite. Alec had stewed over Jace's rejection for hours after he'd left, it had only made him reach a level of anger he never thought he'd feel for his Parabatai. Jace had chosen to run back home to his arcane outlandish family with a unruly deep-red headed girl who was practically a stranger to him. He had trusted her with aspects of his life that he could barely manage to talk about with Alec, Alec was his best friend and his Parabatai someone who had known him nearly all of his life. They'd grown together, they entwined with one another perfectly. Their minds became one in battle and in life; their understanding of one another was a whole lot greater than any silly crush could ever get to grips with. Since Clary settled into her newfound place in Jace's life and in his heart, Alec only felt their bond fading away and the two of them growing further and further apart.

Alec's felt betrayal on Jace's part was visible in the way he looked at him, his face was scrunched up and his arched eyebrows deepened in anguish.

Jace noticed these visible signs, in the several minutes Jace had had a chance to think in calmness without being swept into this bizarre whirlwind. He'd come to the conclusion that maybe he'd taken his loved ones for granted a little too much and in Alec's kind of fucked up attempts to convince him not to go through with this, did come from a place of love somehow. It was only now Jace realised that Alec was right, he was trying to make him see that he'd regret this and by the holy angel was he right. But by Alec's hostility there was one thing Jace regretted maybe more than starting this whole thing and that was not forgiving Alec when he had the chance. But now Alec wasn't feeling remorseful and it was too late for Jace to accept his apology because he'd only grown more in anger and hurt.

Jace took a deep breath, and some kind of strangled gulp

"You know I trust your judgement better than anyone else's, I just wanted to ask what you think my chances are"

"Of What? Getting thrown in a prison or killed? It's undoubtedly certain" Alec announced in a quiet and convinced tone. He didn't look at Jace he refused to.

"You think so?" Jace questioned, he swallowed hard and shifted on his feet. Even though Alec wasn't repaying the eye contact Jace didn't take his eyes of Alec's furrowed brow and extremely angered expression.

Alec could barely comprehend what he was hearing, if Jace was holding onto some kind of hope he needed to stop. There was no way out of this, there was nothing else Alec could do for him now other than confirm something Jace already knew. "Of course I think so. It's a shame you didn't trust my judgement before you admitted to this, do you think I told you repeatedly not to do this for the fun of it" Alec blurted out in a desperate anger.

"Alec I..." Jace begins to speak in a hoarse tone before he'd abruptly cut off when Alec decides he hasn't finished talking.

"I did my part, I tried to make you see. It's too late Jace, you made your choice. You chose this and you've got to face up to it." His face was a flushed red to Jace's ghostly white. Their face colours were different but they were the same expression. Alec had a suppressed sense of sorrow and Jace had an open defenceless case of realisation. When Alec's words cut into him it was like a knife slicing against the only balloon of hope Jace had left. Without it he felt instantly weak, like he was falling and about to crash into the ground at 90 miles an hour. His body ached and hurt just to hold him up right.

At this point Jace had given up on his fixed concentration on his brother, all he felt was emptiness. Alec was right next to him but Jace felt like if he reached out to touch him it would go right through him, like some pretence hologram.

"I feel like there's a world between us right now. I don't want to end things like this, I can't do this if we're like this"

Alec faltered; he fell back on his heels like something had just crashed over him and knocked the wind out of him. "And this is the only way I can do this. I can't forgive you, I can't apologise or hug you or anything" Towards the end he began to trail of as his voice grew quieter and quieter, it was hard for him to say but Alec knew it was the truth.

"Why not?" Jace's voice cracked, he felt a burning sensation in his eyes they become weak as a milky white cloud past over his vision. He felt a pain in his jaw as he clenched his mouth to oppress his emotions. He bit the inside of his lip and his eyes narrowed unintentionally as he thought hard to contain his hurt.

"Because maybe this way is the only it's not going to hurt as much. Did you think about me, about what would happen to me if they decide to kill you? I get ripped in half and half of me will die with you" For the first time this whole conversation Alec looked up at Jace, the kid he knew everything about, every fear he had every secret he kept. Alec thought he'd have his whole life being next to Jace.

And for some reason throughout their whole friendship and Parabatai relationship he always believed he'd never have to feel this kind of pain. For some reason Alec couldn't explain he always felt like he would die first and he'd be leaving Jace behind. Jace would be the one who felt like he'd been cut in two, like half of him was missing. Like his shadow no longer existed, half of his heart had been shattered into pieces, like his soul had been hacked at with a sledge hammer. It was Jace who was supposed to feel all of this not Alec.

"So in that case I die knowing you hate me, like our Parabatai bond was for nothing our friendship doesn't exist anymore" Jace scoffed in disbelief, he could accept there was no way back.

"At least you don't have to live the rest of your life feeling like that. I will never feel whole again, there will always be something missing. It's the only way" Alec shrugged effortlessly; He twisted around on the heel of his shiny shoes and proceeded towards the door. With a temper he shoved his hand on the handle and threw it open, and glided through it giving Jace a preview of the inside. In a ditch attempt to follow after him and pursue the issue Jace tumbled into a room he wasn't comfortable in, he received a frosty reception as every pair of eyes in the room looked in his direction. It was judgement day, for Jace Wayland's future to be severely ravaged or ended by the decision of the woman on top of the hierarchy pyramid. And Jace was not ready, he would never be ready.

Jace began to walk down the middle of the room; rows of chairs were decked out neatly by the side of him. The occupants of these chairs gave him a look like he was an uninvited wedding guest; various scowls and strange glances were bestowed upon him like he was unwelcome at his own trial. Alec had steamed on ahead of him; when Jace had halted and realised what he'd hurtled himself into Alec had continued gliding gracefully down the green carpeted narrow aisle in the middle of the room. At this very moment he was shuffling past his parents to take his seat next to Isabelle in the front row. He took one last look at Jace before turning and sitting down. Jace watched as Isabelle leaned in to whisper something in his ear, Jace watched Alec shake his head and shrug.

Each row of wooden chairs was completely full either side, the room was full of faces Jace had seen but most he barely knew their names. They had already come to their conclusions and were judging Jace on every movement he made.

Lantern lights hung from the ceiling, above him in a row, they shone done on him casting an illuminate yellow light over his face. The green satin curtains had been pulled across every window, and the same coloured carpet was soft as he trod upon it.

The Inquisitor was sat facing Jace and the rest of the speculating audience, her chair was somewhat resembling of a throne made out of concrete marble stone. The seat was on a type of concrete platform and required steps to get to, she sat upon cushions made from duck feathers and covered in an emerald green satin furnishing. Her feet dangled from where she sat not being able to quiet reach the platform bellow her, She held her head high and her back straight as she glanced around the room. Her eyes honed in on Jace as he neared the front on the room.

A 3 ft marble wall in the shape of an L to the left of the Inquisitor was where Jace was positioned to stand whilst the trial took place. It had runes pained in gold upon it, they matched the ones that went up the pillars at each side of the room, and the one above the Inquisitors head painted on the wall. The guard had followed down after Jace; he placed his hand on his shoulder. Nearly jumping out of his skin Jace looked back at him; he nodded and accepted his direction for him to take his place behind the stand.

Jace stood with his hands gently behind his back, he entwined his fingers together in a clasp, and they felt rough and scratched from wielding his blade. His wrists were a little weak from the repelling force and stabbing it through his enemies; they often cracked from the constant pressure of the weight of the blade he held. If he wasn't slaying demons he was constantly training to get better and faster and that did take his toll on his body. Half angel or not he wasn't immune to side effects and pain, of course he had the healing rune but it could only do so much. The constant grind on his hands, wrists, arms and his body had to catch up to him from time to time, and this time was now. And that is why he wasn't able to prevent his hands from shaking; he was both nervous and scared.

His head was uplifted a little as he looked out at his surveying audience. The Lightwoods sat on the right side on the front row, gold posts and green rope separated there seating and the platform in which Jace stood, Alec was diverting his eyes away from Jace. Isabelle on the other hand couldn't, she was trying her hardest to wear a mask of bravery but it was completely impossible, her eyes were weak and watery and she had to bite the inside of her lip with her teeth to keep everything together. Isabelle's hand was holding tightly onto Alec's, she tightened her grasp when Jace caught her eye line. She inhaled deeply, holding her breath and tilted her head slightly giving him a weak sad smile. Jace returned it, and gave her a nod of reassurance it was an attempt of long distance comfort but he was certain it wouldn't help.

She was dressed in a plain black dress that had a white collar; her hair was smooth and pulled tightly back into a ponytail at the back of her head held by a simple thick black band. There was no braid, no lose hair just plain, plain attire and plain natural make up. Jace felt he was at a wake, a ceremony mundane had after a funeral. But it didn't feel like any random mundane wake, it felt like his own.

"The trial of Wayland vs. The Clave has commenced" The Inquisitor ordered in a blunt and abrupt voice that carried around the entire room. She adjusted the way she sat, and resonated in the wave of pure silence and great tension, it was like a silent buzzing that ate away at the calm atmosphere. A strange sense of sadness and apprehension was felt; it lapped at her felt and subsided back away from her like there was an invisible wall separating her and the spectators of this court. Her announcement weighed down on every soldier to the Clave, like their freedom had been snatched and their souls were being captive whilst this trial went on.

At the Inquisitors command a woman at the front of the court took to her feet, she was dressed in a full grey suit and black shirt. She had long blonde hair was braided from the front of her head and tied around to the back. She was young, and didn't fit the normal stereotypical Clave prosecutor. She shifted through the documents she held in her hands before turning to the left side of the room.

"In light of the admission of guilt of the part of Jonathan Christopher Wayland I Lydia Branwell call the first character witness as defence, Jocelyn Fairchild" The representative of the Clave called out in a confident but small voice. Her words hit hard on Jocelyn's ears, sickness flushed over her and her face began to burn in heat. He was almost sure she had heard this woman call Jace Wayland 'Jonathan Christopher'

This was the name of her own her deceased child, something about the name prickled goose bumps over her entire body. Her hair stood on the ends and a cold chill ran through her compelling against the heat of nervousness creating a sense and feelings she wasn't sure she had ever felt. Seconds ticked past as she stared into nothingness, trying her hardest not to delve into the memories she had so hard to suppress about her eldest child. She knew one of the Wayland sons had the name Jonathan, Christopher on the other hand she wasn't aware of. It was common for Shadow hunters to use the same name combinations but she didn't think hearing it would make her feel so sick, sick in grief and sick in memories of her past with Valentine.

"Mom" Clary whispered quietly in her ears luring her out of her own mind, Jocelyn turned to look at her daughter and was presented with a confused frown. Clary looked at her mother, her eyes were wide and her complexion was a stone cold white. Her mouth gaped open a little in a shock of some kind and it was out of Clary's understanding she had never seen her mother seem so shell shocked and witless. Jocelyn complied to her calling and took to her feet as soon as realisation hit home that she was supposed to be giving a character witness to Jace Wayland.

"Fairchild, state your involvement with the defendant" The young woman who had called herself Lydia called to the third row where Jocelyn was stood. "Jace Wayland was in charge of bringing my daughter to safety" Jocelyn replied plausibly, When the Lightwoods had asked Jocelyn to be on Jace's defence she wasn't really sure how she could help, she supposed the mother of the victim being in ore of her rescuer was a good case and Jocelyn was thankful to Jace for bringing her daughter back to him but she didn't know him. Characteristically she couldn't provide any helpful information she was practically useless. She had promised Clary she would give a good fight for him after she had begged numerous times for her mother to agree and accept the Lightwoods plea. In all truths Jocelyn felt compelled to give a good go at helping Jace, after all Clary was in danger because she didn't know any better and that was on Jocelyn.

Lydia paced up to the beginning of the row and then back again tactfully, she posed her next question to the witness elegantly "And did he accomplish that?" Her tone was a little upturned and snide like she didn't believe the answer before it was given. The Inquisitor looked down at her, as she walked the room with a sense of empowerment. The Inquisitor had sat for hours stirring over this whole ordeal, Jace had committed crimes against the Clave that couldn't go unpunished but it tore her up inside every time she thought about him and saw the face of her son looking back at her. Her head was so confused that she felt angry at Jace for getting himself in this mess and putting her in this predicament that had no chance of a happy ending. She was somewhat ate up inside with grief but it presented itself as intolerable anger that was burning her from the inside.

"Yes. Very much so" Jocelyn said with certainty, she reached her hand down and put it on Clary's shoulder. She felt a warm touch as Clary reached up and placed her hand on top of her mothers. In the days previous this touch was the only thing Jocelyn longed for, the ability to reach out and hold her daughter was the most precious thing she could have imagined at that time. It was something she'd taken for granted before; her heart ached for Jace's father that this would end badly. He wouldn't be able to touch or talk to his child again and that was something no parent should ever feel, the way he treated his children wasn't ideal but Jocelyn didn't believe he should go through the heart ache of losing his son not for something so trivial for one simple mistake.

"And that must be all you can recall, if I'm not mistaken you don't know the defendant anymore than that" Lydia indicated, she was narcissistic and snooty. Her facial expression said it all, her lip was curled and her gaze was fixed. She held her head high and looked down at her nose at the rest of the people in her presence; she had put herself on a higher pedestal that even the Inquisitor. It was some kind of pretentious facade that she had built for herself, when n reality she was just a mutt that had been chosen to defect blame from the Clave.

Jocelyn didn't understand why this woman believed herself to be so superior, she was a young woman that acted like she knew everything about the world but she didn't. She knew what she had been taught; it made no sense to her how the future of people could be influenced by this woman "I know who he is. When I first laid eyes on him I saw that he's innocent and angelic, fragile almost. Jace is kind, good and pure. He lives to serve the Clave and fight next to his friends and defend them with his upmost ability, he's clever beyond his years he can play chess and he knows Latin. He has a good heart" Jocelyn snapped, but her argument was convincing. She looked around her as she spoke like she was in the middle of a public speech, but she almost like she barely noticed they were there. She spoke from her heart like her kind had only just realised all of this information.

"You haven't been involved in our world have you Fairchild?" Lydia discarded Jocelyn's approach of sincerity.

"Not until recent, what does that have to" Jocelyn began to reply but she was rudely interrupted by little miss ego herself.

"Then how could you possibly know what classes as good and pure in our world. This kind fragile heart you speak of has committed a crime to which he has admitted to, he's a criminal" Lydia informed the witness and the rest of the room compelling against Jocelyn's bid for proving Jace's character. They were practically strangers and Lydia could see right through the plan to get the victim's mother to speak on the defendants behalf. But the truth was Jace's crimes weren't against Clarissa Fairchild they were against The Clave.

"He's a child, He made a mistake" Jocelyn yelled, every word that came from Lydia's distasteful mouth made her aggressively angry. How could she not see the light of this, she was acting like he'd made a solace act and murdered half the shadow hunter community. He was sixteen years of age, how could he be held accountable for a mistake.

"Yes he is a child, the child of Michael Wayland. No further questions Fairchild. I call the second witness Maryse Lightwood" Lydia turned abruptly on her heels and marched towards the left side of the room, she seemed satisfied so far. Her heels made a small thud against the carpeting as she paced herself towards Maryse. Jace could hear a thudding he couldn't tell if it was her heels or his heartbeat. Jace knew it was over and he was done as soon as Lydia announced his father's name, Jace knew it was coming but he didn't think it would be there first act of prosecution he didn't think their minds would be made up quiet so quickly. He was already tainted with judgement; he had been ever since he was born with this last name. He would not let this go on any longer, it was over any way he wanted to speak for himself.

"No more character witnesses, I want to defend myself"

"Excuse me?" Lydia let out a shrilled sound like she was almost offended that Jace was speaking to her.

"Jace" Maryse said in a warning but also a pleading for him not to do this. She got to her feet immediately with the eyes of her children on her movements.

"Let the child speak" The Inquisitors voice was prominent, it was a rough husky sound. If Jace felt like he could defend himself she wanted to hear what he had to say. She put her hand to her head and pushed back the grey whispers of hair that stuck up out of her sleeked back bun. Her face was awash with a bland expression almost like cardboard, but inside she was crying out fighting hard against her emotions and her duty. She wasn't even sure if Jace was even related to her she couldn't let her emotions cloud her judgement but they were preventing her from even concentrating. She felt as though she was suffocating herself by over thinking every last detail of this.

She knew the truth was even if it was her own son Stephen who was on trial she would have to do her job and find him guilty, she was a harsh and hard women who took on this role knowing exactly what she was capable of. Ever since she'd set eyes on this kid, this Wayland kid it had cracked all of her surfaces and was melting her into a mellow emotional wreck who wasn't able to rationalise things. Her old self would have sorted this she would have decided potential grandchild or not he was a criminal that had gone against the Clave and had made a public admission of guilt and needed to be prosecuted for it.

"Very well, Wayland is it right you have been raised by Michael Wayland?" Lydia proceeded

"Yes" Jace nodded

Lydia smiled a little on this inside, she had a strong belief that the circle members hadn't really conformed and their children were a threat to the shadow hunter world. Lydia had recently lost her fiancée as a fatal repercussion of her being soft hearted and she had decided merciful acts weren't apart of her nature any longer. She would learn by her mistake and be hard and harsh for the justice of the Clave. "A man who has made no effort to congress back into our society in which he's remained a recluse, ever since his involvement in the uprising of Valentine Morgenstern"

"That wasn't a question it was a statement" Jace answered through gritted teeth. He had tried all his life to be anything his father wasn't, he'd got in so much trouble and punished by his father so many times trying hard to fight against anything and everything that he was. Going against his father's beliefs, ignoring the lessons his father taught him all for what? For a complete stranger who herself was barely out of her teens to come and accuse him of being exactly like his father and not even give him chance to explain himself as anything different.

Jace knew it wasn't just Lydia who believed this he had run his whole life from the stigma and repercussions of his father's mistakes. He was working for The Clave because his father had been a circle member; Michael had to surrender one of his sons to The Clave because of what he had done, so Jace was already doing his dirty work for him. There was nothing he was able to do to change the mind of these closed minded individuals, and there was nothing more he could possibly do to prove he was anything but like his father. It was impossible and it was a disappointment in the adult generation, which they weren't able to confine from judging people from the past of their parents. It was a shame and a real let down that people like this existed.

"It's to our knowledge you were trained separately by your father, is this true?" Lydia questioned already knowing the answer. The way she had been taught to do this was ask the questions she already knew the answers to, and allow the defendants to convince the Inquisitor themselves that they were guilty without even knowing it.

"Yeah but I trained here also" Jace responded, he looked over at the Lightwoods. There expressions said it all; they knew the outcome of this they had from the get go. A tear fell from Isabelle's eyes, it was warm against her face, it was unbearable to watch this woman cowardly rip Jace apart by hiding by the excuse of his last name. Isabelle knew in her heart that this would be cutting Jace up inside, he'd fought so hard for his own identity away from just his last name. He'd had to prove he wasn't like his father since he was born and it wasn't something a child was supposed to do.

"So your father felt he needed to train you and teach you things that you weren't getting here at the Institute. He disagreed with the training that every other Shadow hunter receives?" She articulated her response to suggest Jace had been taught the ways of the circle. She believed he had she just had to convince everyone else. This way she or the Clave wouldn't be seen as the bad guys and more or less the saviours who locked up the potential next Valentine.

Jace would not go down without a fight; he didn't want everyone else believing The Clave had done them some kind of favour getting rid of him. He wanted it known that it was unnecessary and wrong "It's not a crime for a parent to train their child; The Clave can't get involved with how a child is brought up by a parent" Jace argued.

"No they can't, not even a parent who has involved negatively in the uprising against the Clave. He is a known circle member who has made no attempts to repent his actions or make known he's now under different alliance" Jace nodded at Lydia's recent response, she was good amazing in fact The Clave had taught her well.

"Valentine is dead; he is not in an alliance with Valentine. So you are saying because of my parents past that makes me a criminal. You are being predigest against me because of the mistakes of my father is that right?" Jace announced what he had already thought. If she wanted to get shady then Jace could do that, he'd been cussed out by Jonathan all his life compared to him she was nothing. He had learnt a few things about turning the whole situation around on the other person.

"Not predigest, I'm just laying out the facts" Lydia bragged, she smiled sadistically over at Jace. He couldn't argue with that and by the angel she knew he also believed it, she could see by just the mention of his father his skin crawled.

"But you believe that my actions are of the result of my upbringing?" It was Jace's turn to question and let Lydia fill in the blanks and of course she didn't need to. He in fact didn't have the right to speak unless he was asked a question but she was too smug to turn down replying, it was in her nature to get the last laugh. She was like Jonathan through and through.

"Yes. With the facts that I have presented its a likely conclusion" Lydia played ball, proving Jace's theory to be right and allowing him to proceed to his next move. It was like chess, baiting out the component with pawns so you could get to their important pieces and smash them off the board. Admittedly Lydia had the upper hand in this game which was already over for Jace, she was on the side of the law and Jace had practically been found guilty. But Jace saw his king as his dignity and like in chess he would protect it at all costs. This prompted him to say what he was about to say

"Well here's a fact for you. Stephen Herondale was a part of the uprising and the circle and he is the son of the Claves very own Madam Inquisitor. So in this logic you are saying his beliefs were the result of his parents and how they brought him up" Jace's word slid out of his mouth like poison and slid right into the ears of the woman in power, the woman of the highest hierarchy.

"How dare you! My son was mislead he was not a criminal. He didn't believe in any of that. This isn't about Stephen It's about the law" The Inquisitor exploded, anger boiled through her, it thickened her blood. Every emotion she felt was eradicated like the city of Pompeii under the heat of Mount Vesuvius. And like Mount Vesuvius she wouldn't give mercy to her victims. Jace was fucked.

"And this is the kind of insolence and sheer disrespect for The Clave that I was talking about. Madam Inquisitor Jace Wayland is guilty and shows no remorse for his crime" Lydia impacted on top of Jace's self destruction before he got a chance to breath, he would not be given a chance to explain this. He had just insulted the woman at the top of the highest hierarchy of the Clave there was no way in hell or heaven anyone would believe he was on the side of the Clave.

"Jonathan Christopher Wayland you are here by convicted of gross misconduct and disobeying orders of the Clave. You will be taken to the city of bones to wait until the date of your execution" The Inquisitor did not dwell on this for another second; the thought of who Jace could really be didn't even enter her mind. She wanted to see this kid burn for his insults, she had been moulded back into the woman she once was.

"Guards take him" Lydia ordered gleefully at her victorious success, the sudden declaration that Jace would be jailed until his execution land slid anyone who cared about him into utter despair. Isabelle collapsed into Alec, Alec also was distraught on the inside he knew this would happen but there was a difference between it being extremely likely and complete reality. "Mom do something" Isabelle said in a muffled cry as she sobbed into Alec's shirt. Her tears seeped through his clothing and onto his skin; it was a warm burning feeling.

"Isabelle you know I can't" Maryse replied in a fraught whisper, her ability to speak had shattered at the words 'execution'. This was her son, not by blood but by heart.

The Lightwoods watched on as the guards aggressively grabbed Jace. Two of them pinned him against them as another grabbed his arms and pulled them to his back where they wrapped heavy metal cuffs around his wrists.

Jace's heart had sunk; it was beating shallowly that he could barely recognise if it was beating at all. He knew his father would be the death of him; it would always have worked out that way one way or another. He didn't fight back he made no effort to resist or make it difficult for the guards their aggression and force wasn't prompted by him.

He felt like he was watching a silent movie in slow motion, like everything that was happening around him made no sound. He had sunk to a level of defeat which made him feel like somehow it was a dream, one where you couldn't feel yourself living kind of like you were watching yourself. His body just moved as the guards took hold of him and dragged him towards the exit to the room, they were holding him with an extremely tight grip. Their nails were digging into his skin, their fingers were wrapped around him so tightly that if you could see his skin there would by white imprints of their finger prints probably but Jace didn't feel a thing. He may as well of already been dead at this point.

He heard one sound, it was faint like it was through a glacier of ice but he could hear it as it cut through into his ears.

"Jace" It was a crying call that Jace couldn't ignore, he was making his way up the isle of green carpet and staring eyes.

The Inquisitor watched on as the red head mundane fought through the crowd desperately she shoved her way out of the row she was confined to, as shocked and unresponsive beings stood in her way. Her mother called after her, reaching out to grab her and being inches from grasping her.

"Jace" Clary begged being inches away from him, her voice cracked a heartfelt sadness glowed from her presence. Her voice hit against Jace's ears, he turned his head quickly to look at the girl he loved within inches from him. Sadness ran through his as he saw a tear roll down her puffy cheeks.

The Inquisitor watched as the boy turned the lights that hung from the ceiling cast upon his face. His hair shone it crystallized under the white light, and the Inquisitor felt the desperate urge to reach out and touch it. Ruffle through it like she had done with her own sons. Jace Wayland faded from her view and she watched on as her son Stephen Herondale looked at the girl endearingly. He fought against the force of the guards yanking him away to get one last look at the red head.

Clary reached out to grab Jace; she wanted to hold him to help him. She felt her fingers slip from the leather jacket, she felt the person she loved slip from her grasp.

Jace wanted every last second he could manage to look at Clary's beauty, he wanted her face to be the last thing he saw it was the most innocent and pure sense of beauty he had ever cast his eyes upon. He would think about this moment right up until the very end he would make Clary the last thought he ever spent. The girl who gave him butterflies in the pit of his stomach that felt like 10 ft dragons whenever she touched him, the girl who made his head spin out of control when she spoke to him so kindly. The girl that made him his heart beat faster and his mind race at 90 miles an hour, she made him feel weak at the knees , sick to his stomach, and like he couldn't breathe all at once with infatuation and love. 'I love you' He mouthed followed by a smile.

"Wait" The Inquisitor shot up from where she sat, silently watching the scene play out in front of her. Her voice carried out in a wave hitting every ear available to listen, every head in the room turned swiftly in her direction. She rose from her seat and took to the stairs; she couldn't let this happen without knowing for sure. If this was her grandchild the child of her son she couldn't be the reason for his death. She had to know for sure, the face of her son wouldn't stop haunting her until she knew. With every grace you could imagine from of a woman of her position she took up a speed across the room, a guard hurried behind her after he'd taken notice she'd sped across the room.

She reached Jace and paused suddenly, the guard who had just picked up his pace was seconds from crashing into her. Jace stared at her; her face was distorted like she couldn't make up her mind on how to feel. She was being tortured by her own emotions and was unsure what to do with them or how to project them, so they were coming out in rash emotional choices that she wasn't sure she was controlling. Her grey eyes were misted; they appeared heavy like wells full of tears being compressed. Her pale pink lips thinned as she swallowed hard looking into the eyes of this boy, her grey hair framed around her aging face as it fell down in whispers and sticking against her pale cheeks.

She yanked a knife from the guard behind her; she pulled it right out of his hands. Under a spell of unexpectancy the guard released his weapon into the hands of a woman who was being driven mad by the memory of her dead son. Jace looked at her wide eyed and a little scared, a rabbit in the headlights would be used to describe his expression. With the guards stood firmly behind him he was only able to take one step back before coming to a stop with nowhere and no possible way of escape. He squirmed in their grip and his Jacket began to slide down his arms. If she was going to kill him she could have at least waited until his family and friends weren't there in witness. Was she seriously that evil? It was one comment about her son for Christ sake, he didn't intend it in a bad way he was saying she was a good woman.

Jace closed his eyes tightly shut and grimaced as she swung the sword close to his face. He heard a shredding noise and nothing happened, why was nothing happening? Why hadn't he fallen to the floor in a pool of blood with a blade through his chest? He dared himself to open one eye; she was stood their staring at him, not at his face but at his body. Jace looked to where she was laser line focusing on. He had a large rip in his shirt on his left shoulder, it wasn't jagged at the edges it was clean rectangle slit, Jace frowned at her, she had ruined his best shirt and she'd gone completely mental.

"Were you born with that?" The Inquisitor asked in a horse whisper as she stared at the shoulder of a very confused boy of which had a 4 centimetre shaped star on his left shoulder. It was a mellow brown colour that was just noticeable against his skin shade.

"A birth mark is mark from birth so yes" Jace responded, his eyebrows were arched, she'd stopped this whole thing over a birthmark. It was in the shape of a star which was often considered odd but so what people have weird things on their bodies all the time, people are usually more interested in the thick black runes he's covered in, or the fact that his air literally shines under the sun or the 2 inch scar down his neck.

"Let him go" The Inquisitor bellowed as she almost fell back in shock with Jace's response, the guards hesitated and looked at her just as mind fucked as everyone else in the room.

"Excuse Madam Inquisitor, that's not a possibility" Lydia interjected in her squeaky and stuck up voice as she came running up from behind her.

The Inquisitor put her hand up objectifying her squeaks, she was the Inquisitor and by all means Lydia was ethically right it wasn't a possibility. Jace Wayland should be punished for his crimes but now that things had shifted and it was more certain than ever that Jace was actually Jace Herondale it was a lot more confusing. She couldn't lose her grandchild after she'd lost everyone else in her family, but she also couldn't tell him until she had all her facts right. If Jace was a Herondale then why in the angels name was he raised as a Wayland. "I command you, let him go" The Inquisitor demanded again after the first time wasn't enough for the guards to comprehend. She pulled her grey cloak around her, swishing it in a graceful flurry wrapping it around her frail body as she left the room.

The guards quickly took off the cuffs around Jace's wrists and hurried after the woman who had just freed the jail bird. Lydia stared with her mouth wide open completely speechless at a uncuffed and free Jace, who was stood slightly confused but wearing a huge grin as he rubbed his wrists to rid the ghostly space where the metal handcuffs should still be hung.

* * *

 **Author's note: I apologise for it taking me so long to write this chapter, the reason for that is this one means a lot to me. Some of the underlining issues are very important to me and I just wanted to get right. Please feel free to review, would mean a lot.**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Dust particles floated in the air like a shallow sprinkle of a tornado had cast upon the air, Jace continued to blow the thin layer of dust from the mouth of the grand mahogany piano and waited until the dust storm had settled and appeased itself upon the rest of the unused things around the room. A deep breath was taken and held, a wall of air began to cement itself into Jace's chest as he straightened out his posture. He broadened his shoulders, straightened his back, lifted his chin and placed his long fingers on the Ivory keys.

The cold teeth tingled against his finger tips as he adjusted them to fit perfectly; he tapped lightly against the first key it echoed a crisp nimble sound. His fingers trickled against the keys as he moved them with grace as he caressed the keys moving from one to the other methodically. The sound it made was like a purified liquid gold, it made you feel like it had been blown gently through your ears and making your brain absorb calm and innocence as well as trying to comprehend such beauty and delicacy from just a touch away.

Jace hadn't played the piano since the morning he'd left the manor for the Institute, and he hadn't even thought about it. Usually Jace would wake and practise and then practise again in the evening but the past few days it was the last thing he was able to think about.

Even though learning how to play the piano was another obligation given to him by his father, it was the only thing he didn't avoid doing whilst out of his company. Jace liked to play it even more so away from the listening ear of either Jonathan or his father, this way he couldn't get into trouble if he made mistake he could just simply start over. Making a mistake these days was often to none for Jace he'd become quiet elegant and accomplished at playing the last few years.

It gave him some kind of calmness, it helped him sort things out in his mind or block them out if necessary. Usually it felt like as soon as he hit the first chord everything else just melted away like the sweet song was sickeningly piousness to any bad thoughts and made them eradicate with the sound. That was what he was going for. After he'd left the trial room his mind had been racing a losing race, it had not stopped and there wasn't anything else he could do that would help. Every thought and feeling struck him with a gut wrenching sickness, like there was a cease fire of evil dwindling in his stomach and his mind was the gasoline that was igniting it. The trial could have gone either way but the worst feeling to Jace was that he didn't like either outcome, when he was in the room he prayed like hell he wouldn't be found guilty and when he was and his world tore apart his body went weak and he'd never felt that level of despair and desperation. Then miraculously hell had frozen over and released the Inquisitors heart from its spell and she'd taken back her previous ruling and told him he was free to go. Jace didn't even get around the comprehending what the hell a birth mark had to do with it and he kind of didn't want to know.

For the first few minutes his new found freedom was liberating, he felt strong and ready to grab life on the tip of his seraph blade.

But when he was in the middle of an embrace from his Lightwood family and Clary, a feeling of deep dread washed over him and dragged him down into drowning deep waters. It made his skin prickle with a heat, the heart he'd just pieced back together was cracking, and everything once again was collapsing.

He wouldn't be able to grab life with his seraph blade; his father would eventually come for him. He'd have to go home and live as his father and Jonathans lackey for the rest of his days. Justice had been served either way, he hadn't lost his life but he was condemned to one that wasn't worth living. He hated the fact that he'd always been destined to live in their shadow and it was finally coming true. It had always been inevitable, his father always said to him 'The Angel blade burns you just as God's name chokes you' Jace never understood what he meant before but he thought he'd finally come around to its understanding. Just because he had Angel blood and held an Angel blade didn't mean it would save him. But it didn't feel like it was God choking him, more like the devil.

It was some sort of sick and twisted test to see how much strain he could be put under, it had been one thing after another and Jace wasn't sure on how much he could take. All the sadness and defeat had been drained from him and he wasn't sure what else to feel, but he knew he felt empty and hollow with a burning rage of fear and sickness.

That is why the person who you'd assume was the luckiest kid alive was sat at an old and forgotten piano hoping he'd end up the same way.

A darkened orange sun cast a sweeping ray through the arched window above where Jace was sat; it illuminated half of Jace's body and glided across the piano. It mellowed the room, softening it from the ugly darkness it was plunged into. It had become not kept and unwanted; it was a kind of dumping ground for the shadow hunter's unwanted things. It was once a grand room, for the sole purpose of just the piano but its worth had been forgotten.

A unexpected sound plunged through the second half of the moonlight sonata that Jace had taken to playing like a dog fetching a ball. On usual circumstances this wouldn't have fazed him but the vibrating of his phone in his pocket on this particular day he just couldn't ignore. He slammed his hands down on the keys angrily making it sound like the piano had been shoved off a cliff, Jace reached his fingers into his pocket and took out his phone. He slumped in the piano stool dismissing his posture in the disturbance. Isabelle had texted him.

'Mother is worried so am I, don't take too long x'

Jace didn't reply. He put his phone on the top of the piano and shook his head a little; he rubbed his eyes with tiredness as he began to get a headache at the centre of his forehead. Jace could understand why they were worried because he'd bolted and hid as soon as the opportunity presented itself but how does he not take too long processing that he was sentenced to death then not. Just as he was about reposition himself and restart one of Beethoven's finest pieces over again something stopped him from doing so.

A sharp kind of out of tune whistling came from out in the corridor, the wooden arched door was half way open and the tune seeped in and echoed aloud. Jace recognised the song immediately, it was a folk law song that was sang and danced to by the Seelie's, arguably one of the most dangerous species known to man. They worked in mysterious vine pathed ways, their laws and secrets intertwined like a spider's web and connected in some way. By nature Seelie's couldn't lie but they took the most riddled and complicated path to the truth. Even the smartest man could be spun in the Queen Seelie's web of truth and not understand it.

Their songs weren't so much as a riddle, they were the truth and this particular one was a sort of ghostly chant that made young Shadow Hunters lie awake at night. Jace was one of them young, who laid awake at night fearing the day a Seelie would sing it to him. It was commonly said that from the mouth of a Seelie it was hypnotic and made you dance under some kind of spell and everyone knows if you dance with a Seelie you dance until you die. His father used to sing it around the manor house, the tune haunted young Jace and the lyrics made him curdle inside. Jonathan taunted him with it, when Jace took the tower staircase to bed every night Jonathan would stand at the bottom singing it quietly but even at a whisper it freaked Jace out.

Jace was of course now older and didn't fear the Seelie's he knew they weren't to be trusted but they didn't scare him any longer but the song still gave him goose bumps and made the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

He'd never heard it here at the Institute; in fact he'd never heard anyone else sing it ever other than his father and brother.

Jace felt a brewing storm of emotion begin to cast in his stomach, a churning sickness was the rumbling thunder and fear was the striking lightening that hit out every time a footstep was heard.

Jace ducked a little behind the piano as the whistlers shadow crept around the door, it filled the room and blacked out the light from outside the door. Jace felt like that scared little child that hid beneath his covers with his eyes screwed shut. He felt as though he was being hunted every breath he took would be noticed ever slight movement he made would raise an alarm. Jace gulped and inhaled a deep breath of air; he threw his hand over his mouth and tilted further in hiding. In these seconds of breath holding and shaking fear Jace had convinced himself that the nightmare was becoming true and his father had finally come to get him.

Fingertips explored around the door as it creaked slowly open, the sound echoed around the room. A rune covered arm followed, the sleeve was rolled up to the elbow. The whistling became louder now it was directly in the room, the person was definitely male, he could make out a medium height but muscular build, and they were dressed in all black. The darkened sunlight didn't stretch far enough for Jace to be able to make out any distinctive features that would deter him from thinking it could be anyone.

The person pushed the door further closed, with the force it swept towards the doorway but before it clicked in the clasp in the wall it bounding back and creaked back open a jar. Footsteps crossed the wooden flooring, they were heavy but not rhythmic strides which suggested to Jace the person had plenty of time to retrieve what they had come in for. Jace watched as a large hand reached up and pulled a little cord on the other side of the room. A shallow yellow light that was concealed in the side of the bookcase came on it illuminated the room and gave Jace a few clues as to who he was sharing his presence with.

They had black hair that had been softened in parts to a light grey, like a flurry of snow on top of a fresh tarmac pavement. The male began to climb the ladders that leant against the tall towering bookcases at the back of the room, just by graceful small movements Jace knew exactly who it was.

The whistling had turned into a small buzzing humming it was soft and light but never the less ghostly. Jace now sat up, and returned his breathing gradually back to normal to try and hide the fact he'd been holding his breath. Jace cocked his head and watched as the guy clambered nimbly up the ladders, he reached from them to get a book. His fingers tips slid off as he tried to pull it out, he then refrained and stepped a little closer to the edge of the ladder, he leant further this time with only one hand and one leg of the ladder. The other limbs were hanging of the ladder in a desperate attempt to get his fingers on the dusty old book just a centimetre from his grip. The person was Hodge.

"Dangerous song to be singing" Jace scorned from where he sat, his arms were folded and a scowl was presented on his face. He deepened his eyebrows and pouted his mouth in annoyance. He watched as Hodge unaware of his presence jumped out of his skin at the sound of his voice, he rocked on the ladders gripping back to safety seconds away from slipping and ending up in a pile of bones on the ground beneath him, He'd nudged the book in his fright and it slowly fell from the shelf and landed with a crash on the floor. A huge cloud of dust dispelled from the ground and soured through the air. Hodge didn't speak he put his hands firmly on the side of the ladders and trudged back down until his two feet were safe on the ground. He clasped his hand to his heart where it pounded like a hand against a bongo drum. He was doubled over with his other hand supporting his knee, as the fear drifted from him and he was able to grapple to any sense of breathing.

"By the Angel are you trying to kill me. What are you doing in here?" Hodge sounded strangled in tone as he struggled from a possible near death experience he hadn't even noticed Jace sat there in the corner. Jace looked down at the piano he was obviously sat behind and wondered why Hodge even needed to ask. Jace ignored Hodges desperate sounded question decided to ask one of his own.

"How do you know that song?" He sounded a little ignorant as he spoke, but he was reeling from the fact that Hodge had told his father what he'd said to him in confidence. Any respect he once had for Hodge he no longer felt, if it was any other time in his life Jace might have given him the benefit of the doubt and tried to get to the truth but after what just happened in the trial Jace felt he didn't trust anyone.

Hodge straightened out his back and put his arms to his side; he sensed the hints of annoyance in Jace's voice but didn't react to them. The kid had just been through a lot, he didn't know why it meant anything to him but Hodge thought nothing of it.

"An old friend of mine used to sing it" Hodge declared with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I've never heard you sing it before?" Jace quizzed suspiciously, Hodge had never mentioned this old friend to him before. In a matter of fact he could even be talking about his father, because he also sang it.

"Maybe you never listened" Hodge suggested simply, his voice was soft and a little compassionate he wasn't sure why Jace was so bothered in an Old folk law song. The dust had begun to settle once again onto the floor, Hodge walked over to the book and scooped it up with both hands.

Jace watched the slow but confident movements of the mentor and man he'd known for years everything about him was still the same, the way he acted the way he spoke but he just didn't think about him in the same way anymore. Jace couldn't trust him now and he felt as though his ally had become an enemy along the way. It was strange that he'd known someone so long but never really knew them.

"No! I would know if I heard that song" Jace yelled in such contempt, he felt very passionate about this subject matter. His yelling echoed around the pitched ceiling. Hodge twisted on his feet and looked back at Jace, his face looked so angry and his body language was so aggressive. Hodge was confused it was like he'd just offended him in some way.

"It's just a song kid, what's wrong with you?" Hodge questioned

Jace went to speak but then closed his mouth; he didn't know why he was getting so worked up about it.

Jace reached for a small glass on the right side of the top of the piano with his right hand, he grabbed it and pulled it close to his face. He'd taken Roberts secret stash of Bourbon that he hid in his desk. He claimed it was to take the edge off the fact that he had a headache but he was a secret drinker when he was stressed and Jace felt like following in his footsteps this time. Alcohol wasn't usually Jace's thing never mind a barrel aged distilled spirit, but on this occasion he'd drink a barrel of red wine if it helped 'to take the edge off'.

Hodge watched Jace's movements, the kid looked tired in the face but he also seemed determined on being destructive. He sat like the weight of the world was crushing down on his shoulders "Drinking? Really Jace, that's not going to help" Hodge cautiously advised.

"What you going to do about it, tell my father" Jace let out a little laugh, after speaking he put the glass to his lips and sipped on the whiskey. Jace's response was blunt and a little provoking.

"No but..." Hodge began to speak

"No? That'll make a change then won't it? You think I don't know it was you that told my father I didn't trust him?" Jace rudely interrupted Hodge's weak answer. It was a rhetorical question it didn't need to be answered so he didn't give him the chance to.

Hodge instantly took notice, everything was beginning to fit into place like a jigsaw puzzle, and Jace's behaviour began to make sense. Jace watched as Hodge struggled and recoiled like a snake under a spotlight, the longer Hodge took to reply the more Jace was certain it was him.

"Why and how would that have been me? That could have been anyone" Hodge shifted on his feet, he still looked Jace in the face but his posture and facial expression suggested he was guilty. Every word that came out of his lying mouth was just a comical joke to Jace who hadn't really been listening but knew that he'd tried to wean his self out of responsibility. Hodge had begun to walk towards Jace at this point.

"It had to be you, the mans a psychopath I hardly go around shouting it to the angel in the skies that I don't trust him" Jace's throat burned a little as he sipped on the alcohol in his clenched hand. He'd gripped the glass hard to avoid him from throwing it in anger. He had to laugh at Hodge's pathetic attempts to squirm his way out of this or else he wouldn't be held responsible for his actions. It was about a metre from being toe to toe with Hodge and he just envisioned himself reaching out and head butting him square in the face.

"The whole Institute knows that you don't trust him, the state you walk back in here whenever you've been home and you think no one knows. I'm guessing this was from this morning?"Hodge reached out and points to purple bruising around Jace's neck and jaw line. Jace winced at the thought. He never really thought about if anyone knew the way his father treated him, no one ever said anything but it was considered unmentionable to question someone else's family life in the shadow world.

"Thanks to you" Jace scoffed, he necked the rest of the glass back tilting his head back and when he came back to normal eye level Hodge was shaking his head in disapproval.

He lunged at Jace and snatched the glass out of his hand "You think this is going to help? What you get slaughtered and all your issues fade away?"

"Maybe" Jace shrugged.

"No. They don't fade away, believe me I tried wishing them away with a bottle of whiskey every night, hell I drank two bottles if I wanted it still doesn't work"

"I was just nearly sentenced to death, it's my birthday tomorrow, and my mother's been dead seventeen years and nobody gives a fuck I think I deserve a drink don't you?" Jace lashed out at Hodge knocking the glass out his hand, he didn't even flinch when the glass hit the floor and obliterated in less than five seconds. Hodge looked down at the pile of crystallised glass that had frayed across the floor. His hand was still out like he was holding the glass and a shocked look was written across his face.

After staring at the man Jace used to admire with wide eyes and a temper that was ready to box his face around the entire room he snapped out of it. He reached down to pick up the half a bottle from under the piano stool, he slammed the lid to the piano down with a loud clatter, picked up his mobile and shoved past his old mentor. Jace didn't admire Hodge any longer, his father had told him he was a weak old man who had issues with his brain that convinced him he wasn't able to leave the Institute Jace never really gave it a second thought until now.

Hodge looked all shrunken and since the previous day he'd spoken to him he'd aged and weakened a whole lot in the eyes of Jace.

Jace's feet tapped against the flooring as he made his way to the door, Hodge hadn't moved he was still staring down at the ground; he'd been right all along. His father had been creating a weapon and weather it was going to be used good or bad had always been undetermined but they anger Jace was showing reminded him of Valentine. He wasn't so sure Jace's intent was all good now.

"I'll get you back for snaking me, an eye for an eye remember?" Jace announced in a low determined tone. Hodge absorbed Jace's last comment, he was mocking what he'd said to him yesterday but it didn't mean he didn't mean it.

Jace pulled the door shut aggressively and pivoted on the heel of his foot and waltzed down the middle of the corridor with the bottle in his hand.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The ghost white of a porcelain face looked at her, a steely look of an uneasy glare. Hallowed cheeks and dim lit green eyes looked at her a little in detest, she wanted to reach out and ask what was wrong. She watched as a breath escaped from slightly parted lips as the biting cold air sucked the slight exhalation and coated the whisper in a frost white. Lost in thought the occupier clenched their pale blueing lip in their bleach white teeth. The wind picked up and blew long red locks against a chalky complexion, the stare didn't ease she still felt judged by this stranger she didn't recognise. She reached out and touched the face, she received a cold shock at the tips of her finger as the two of them touched tip to tip through a pane of glass. She wanted to call out to them and ask who was this person and why did they look so unforgiving of her? Her words would only be received by her own ears for this stranger was a reflection she didn't recognise, a reflection of herself.

"Clary" A voice spoke out just above a whisper it was gentle but sounded a little concerned, it was just enough to pull her from her thoughts. She moved her head from the reflection of herself and into the direction of the whispering voice. The sight before her warmed her from the inside, her heart had gone up in flames and provided heat for the rest of her body. There he stood under the light of the moon as it traced a shining light around all of his facial features, his sheepish look and his awkward body language screamed out at her inviting her to throw her arms around him and never let go. The corners of Jace's mouth slipped into a little smile when Clary cast eyes on him, he swallowed the taste of what was supposed to be vanilla and oak but instead tasted of shoe polish and spice. His mouth was still numb from the strength of the alcohol and his taste buds still repulsed every drop that had touched his lips.

"Jace" Clary said exasperated like a huge gust of wind had knocked the breath out of her chest and carried her words out to the distance of New York, Jace caught a glimpse of her tainted angelic look before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him off balance. A blanket of red hair protected Jace's warm skin from touching Clary's iced cold cheek, she dithered a little as she absorbed the heat from his body.

"Where have you been" She lightly scolded like a worried Maryse would have when he and Alec were children. They would have little tournaments, battling one another to see who was the best swordsman. Isabelle would give up trying to coax them into letting her join in and storm off home, Jace and Alec wouldn't even realise she'd gone before the orange sun melted into the sky and they'd have to run home before it got dark. Jace missed it being so innocent, they weren't aware of it then but them times were the best. Before everything got to complicated and dangerously real.

Jace pulled away from Clay's rather motherly embrace he clasped his hand to his chest in pained anguish, the alcohol he had taken from Robert was burning through his body like a paralysing acid, his heart had begun to throb and a sharp pain twanged aggressively in his chest. Clary widened her eyes and examined his suffering expression there was a sickly smell of out of date cough medicine mixed with cinnamon aroma in the air, it was Jace's breath. In the other arm Jace held a glass bottle it dangled loosely between his fingers, Clary reached down and snatched it from him it slid easily into her grasp. She held it up to have a closer look, it was half full with a tatty label barely wrapped around it below the glass neck. Her facial expression translated has half way between disgusted and intrigued, it smelt and looked like something Luke would use to polish the floor 'to preserve the wooden shine' in the spring. She slipped of the small black cap on the top and held it up pressing it against her lips, before Jace had chance to utter the words 'Clary don't' It was too late. She tipped the bottle and liquid slipped through her tightly pursed lips and swelled around her mouth. "That's disgusting!" Clary announced to the whole of New York as her words echoed out from the balcony and into the silent streets, she sprayed it out into the air with in inability to swallow such a foul taste. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve as Jace erupted into a small laugh, "It's not funny" She pushed him away playfully as a smile crept across her face and she too began to laugh.

"Ahem" A harsh voice called from behind them, both Jace and Clary immediately turned to look at their unsuspected spectator. Their eyebrows deepened in arch as they stood their arms folded silently waiting for Jace and Clary to take notice, it was Robert Lightwood. "Jace I need to speak to you about what we were discussing earlier" Robert said, he blinked longer than a second when he had finished speaking as if to erase what he was seeing in front of him. "It's ok, you can say it in front of Clary" Jace announced, out of respect for Clary he wanted her to feel included after all it did include her and her future, if Robert was going to protect her she'd need to know how. As well as this Jace knew all too well what it was like being on the receiving end of being excluded from private conversations whilst being in the same room. Jonathan and his father made a point of huddling together for a not so private conversation of harsh whispers and menial insults directed at him. Of course, he could hear every word like they intended but he always pretended he never heard anything.

"Very well, I don't think you should tell Alexander and Isabelle until you actually leave. They were so relieved after the trial I don't think it's fair to tell them now" Robert clasped his hands together and smiled a little awkwardly, Jace nodded in agreement "You're probably right, and the other thing?"

"Ah yes, Clarissa and Jocelyn are both under the protection of the Clave but I'll make it my personal responsibility to make sure they're protected after you've gone" Robert struggled with the last few words as they came out, he didn't want to believe any of this was really happening. Jace was satisfied with this Robert had never let him down before and he didn't believe he would. Clary however didn't share the same look of satisfaction what on earth were they talking about Jace was leaving? This was news to her.

"I'll take this" Robert reached out and took the bottle out of Clary's hand, Clary didn't flinch or even blink as the bottle slid from her hand and Robert walked away leaving just the two of them being nipped at by the night time air. Jace turned back at Clary, her eyes connected with his they were misty threatening of a tear that would roll down her cheek any second.

Jace had anticipated for Robert to talk about her protection and not the revelation that in fact he was leaving, but now Clary knew and the words had been spoken out loud by more than just him it became even more real. He was inclined to join Clary in his pity party but it wouldn't help him and he still wasn't sure when he was leaving because him leaving and Clary's protection from his father didn't particularly go hand in hand.

"The Clave have let me go" Jace mumbled with a shrug of his shoulders, he wasn't really sure what to say. He reached out and laid his fingers on Clary's shoulder. "Because of the trial?" Clary quizzed, she didn't understand how this world worked but Jace was a great Shadow Hunter the Clave need him. Jace shrugged "Not really, my dad requested my leave. And considering what they said about me in the trial they were more than happy to finish me. I'm a liability I guess"

Clary shook her head a little to violently in protest "Jace none of that was true. You're nothing like him" She reached her hand up and wrapped her fingers in his soft gold locks.

"Aren't I?" Jace mused his eyebrow raised he closed the space between them as their bodies touched, these past few days had felt like an eternity. In reality Jace had known Clary less than a week but he was besotted by the girl who he felt like he'd known her a life time.

She shook her head in complete disagreement, she felt like the richest girl in the world with just one strand of Jace's hair of solid gold brushing against her fingers. "But we can't tell Alec and Izzy not yet" Jace reminded Clary, to which she nodded like she understood she stared into his eyes as the enticed her in. They were centimetres from being lip to lip before Clary clasped her hand to her mouth. "Shit Alec and Izzy" Jace looked at her confused his head was titled to one side as the red head wrestled against her jeans to pull out her phone. "What is it?" Jace questioned. "They're out looking for you because you weren't answering your phone, Simon said something about Quinn Oliver and a party" Clary responded she was huddled away from Jace as she tapped her fingers against her phone, she held it against her ear as the dial tone for Izzy's phone rang out. There was no answer, Clary dialled again. Jace reached up and pulled her phone from her hands, Clary turned around frantically with an expression which provoked the sense of questioning Jace's actions.

"Clary they'll be fine they're specially trained, they will come back when they get bored" Jace's voice was steady with a measure of calmness that Clary didn't share. "No, we can't wait, there has been demon attacks around New York. Your mother said they should be as quick possible and then come back" Clary argued her face went puffy and red she had got lost in her embrace with Jace and completely forgot about the Lightwoods, her job was to stay here and call them when Jace returned and she couldn't even do that. "We'll just go and get them, come on" Jace didn't seem worried but he was specially trained to so maybe it was an act, he was good at pretending things didn't bother him. Clary nodded and took his outstretched hand.

A squeal echoed out into the street, a female with long blonde hair ran across a darkened green grass. The motion turned on the safety light and shone out a stream of florescent white light, a male who had appeared to have lost his shirt jetted after her. He eventually caught her and scooped her up in his arms, the girl let out a giggle and she waggled her feet as she came off the ground and into the arms of the boy. He leant down and kissed her cheek as she lay horizontally with her legs bent around his arm and her neck arched, they both twirled around under the light. The girl's hair was less than a centimetre from sweeping against the grass as they both laughed and made their way back from where they came from.

Clary and Jace watched from across the street, they had taken the portal route out of the Institute after checking Clary's social media for the address of the party. It had been described as chaos on some of the posts and that was exactly what they were both witnessing, Jace looked across at Clary she replied with a shrug. Jace may not be mundane and may not have attended a party but neither had Clary. She had only heard the conversation afterwards in the girl's locker rooms, about the reckless and uncanny things that had happened the night before.

In front of them was a three-story house that stood at the end of a winding drive way, crammed from corner to corner with drunken teenagers. They were ridiculously dancing to a loud type of house music which poured out of every open window and echoed out onto the streets of New York. There were two young females sat on the steps of the porch, one with their head collapsed into their lap and the other with a glass in one hand and a cigarette in another informing her friend very loudly that mother nature was calling. One male who was definitely not a teenager passed out on the grass in just his underwear and a potato masher in grasp, and another five stood around in a huddle next to an expensive looking BMW laughing uncontrollably sounding like horses on laughing gas. Clary looked down at the ground as a toilet roll touched her shoe after being chucked from one of the top windows and rolled down the paved bank. She didn't remember it ever sounding this displeasing coming from the words of Amber Chelsea.

"I pray to the Angel we don't have to go in there to find them" Jace mumbled above his breath, loud and proud there was no way he was going to hide the fact that he was reluctant to go into that mundane carnage even If It was to find his brother and sister. "Jace" A voice shrieked, if it was any other voice Jace wouldn't have been able to pick it out above the thumping music that blasted through the walls of the house. But there was no way anyone could ever mistake Isabelle's voice. Jace's father called her 'The gob of Idris' and in this respect, he wasn't far wrong, her tone was always so disapproving and a little catty. Jace kind of liked it, it had a certain sense of sass that just suited Isabelle perfectly. Jace clapped his hands together as a mocking prayer to thank the heavens his prayers had been answered, there was no worse hell than entering that house.

"Have you seen him?" Isabelle faltered her tone sounded worried it was almost pleading as she neared them, Jace turned to look at her she was joined at the hip by Quinn Oliver which she didn't seem to be too impressed with as he swayed next to her with a grin on his face like the Cheshire cat. Her long locks had returned to their usual natural wavy form throughout the day defying her wishes to keep it straight, she had opted to take out the thick black hair hand and allowed it to flow freely over her shoulders. She was still wearing the plain black dress with a white collar and her make up still remained the same, it didn't matter how she looked she was still a beautiful young woman. "Seen who?" Jace asked shrugging his shoulders. "Alec, I turned around for a second and he was gone" Izzy looked a little panicked and her body language gave her away and she twizzled around on her feet looking around her. "Is he in there?" Jace quizzed, Izzy shook her head in disagreement she had checked that house inch by inch and she hadn't found him. "Can you track him by Parabatai?" Clary suggested looking up at Jace. Jace glanced at Izzy who was stood uncomfortably next to a mundane who hadn't yet spoken a word, it was probably all the alcohol he'd consumed. Izzy shrugged and gestured for Jace to continue even if he could remember this by tomorrow who would believe him he was a bottle of vodka down and had already puked up before Izzy and Alec had even come.

Jace took Izzy's stele from her outstretched hand the mundane wasn't even looking he was too busy gorping at her face, ever since she'd got here he had latched onto her like a leach all for a brief few seconds when he entered the bathroom. Izzy had tried to make her escape but lost Alec in the process and he caught up with her eventually, it didn't matter how many times she had told him to politely to leave her alone he wouldn't, and then when she'd told him not so politely to 'fuck off' he nearly started crying. So, she'd gone with putting up with him much to her dismay, but there had been no sign of Alec and she was beginning to get worried.

"Wayland, you never said your sister was a tenner" Quinn goofily spluttered, Jace had lifted his top and began tracing his Parabatai rune with the stele before he stopped for a brief second to comprehend what the hell the Mundane had just said. "Excuse me" Isabelle announced disgusted with this little pet name she'd somehow achieved. "Ten out of ten" Quinn coaxed his head staring at her with a raised eyebrow to invite her to complement her back to which she screwed up her face and looked at Clary like 'Is he being serious'.

Wisps of grey smoke relinquished in the air as the rune burnt a fire red, Jace closed his eyes and cleared his mind and he tried to track where Alec was. He was getting pictures of an Ariel view of New York but nothing after that just complete black. He was in New York but where was impossible to figure out where exactly, the tracking went dead after the first image and a whole lot of nothingness which wouldn't help them find him. "It's not working" Jace announced as he gave up and opened his eyes, "It has to Jace, try again" Isabelle pleaded.

"Iz, it's black there's nothing other than New York" Jace reached out and put his hand on Izzy's petite shoulder, the material of her dress was soft cotton under his hands. "I'm worried Jace, it doesn't make sense. He wouldn't just leave me, would he?" Isabelle asked in an undertone of pain she was worried to death this wasn't like Alec, all of her life she'd told both Alec and Jace she was capable and didn't need babysitting just because she was female. They hadn't listened not once why would he have started now? It didn't add up.

"No" Jace said firmly and reassuringly, Jace was a little worried because no this wasn't like Alec he would never leave Izzy. But Alec hadn't really been himself in days and before Jace would never believe Alec would turn his back on him but that's exactly what he did before the trial so Jace wasn't sure any more. But he wouldn't turn his back on him, he was going to find him.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"Jace we'll find him" A small ghostly whisper seeped into Jace's ear as he tried for nearing the fifth time to get a trace on Alec's location, he can't remember the last time he felt Alec close to him so even if he could he wasn't sure if he'd even feel it. There was some of space between their connection, it was a deliberate one cast upon them because of their continuous betrayal and anger between one another.

"Fuck" Jace muttered just above his breath, his fists were clenched together so aggressively that his finger nails were digging into the palm of his numb hands. It was no good no matter how hard he tried he just couldn't get a sense of Alec anywhere. It had begun to rain and he hadn't even noticed, it tapped against his skin making him shudder and he tried desperately to shrug it off and concentrate. "Jace we'll find him, he wouldn't have gone far" Clary consoled Jace she reached out her hand to put on his shoulder, her finger nails were centimetres from touching the fabric of his shirt before Isabelle cut in viciously "You don't even know him; you couldn't possibly know where he'd be" Her words were holding razor blades as Clary's ears received them, her heart sank a little and she retreated her hand back to her side. Isabelle stood with Quinn Oliver about 10 metres from them down the winding path that lead through a gated park. Jace it thought might help them to find him easier if his mind was clearer and away from noise, but the desolate pitch-black space wasn't helping either. Isabelle couldn't take another second of Clary's optimistic string of hope that she was wrapping around Jace and almost suffocating him in it. Just because she was saying it didn't make any of it true neither did it make anyone feel any better. Jace had ignored Isabelle's catty swipe at Clary as he was trying to concentrate, the words hurt him a little also. A few weeks ago, Jace would have been able to tell you exactly where Alec was, he felt like he was mentally tied to a complete stranger or maybe no one at all. It was the desolate silence that he couldn't stand.

"He's a Lightwood, he can handle himself" Quinn Oliver mumbled reaching his arm around Isabelle's shoulder like a slithering snake wrapping itself around a spiky hedgehog. His drunken slurs and intoxicated actions had faded away and he had begun to speak comprehendible sentences, but his sleazy attempts to get his hands around Isabelle hadn't stopped and Izzy had got sick of it. She jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, he recoiled instantly but laughed it off as he leached after her hovering close by but keeping out of touching distance. Quinn's words sunk into Jace's mind, he was right Alec could look after himself. He was a lightwood and that's what they did to the best of their ability they survived and handled situations better than any other Shadow Hunting family ever had Jace thought, building himself up to believing Alec was absolutely fine. He had to be, it was Alec. With not another second of thought Jace's eyes shot open, his ocean blue eyes were instantly set ablaze. He looked like a wild cayote that had just snapped a meaningful glare at his prey. Izzy looked down at him with a face that buzzed with hope like a small lantern against a thick fog.

"How did you know that" Jace's voice followed his steely glare, Quinn was mundane. How did he know that Alec was a Lightwood? As Jace asked his question a slender sharp blade glinted a mechanical silver as the sharp edge was kissed by the light of the moon. Jace didn't have another second to scream at Isabelle, to wield his arms around or trash around to signal a warning. A frown settled into Isabelle's facial expression when she had realised that Jace's question was valid, she swung around to see the mundane she twirled like a ballerina in the swan lake solo. Her hair swayed around in an agonisingly wave of slow motion as her eyes adjusted to the mundane, with another none existent inhale of breath that everyone forgot to take the moon kissed blade was thrust straight into her chest.

Her hair settled and stopped swaying it rested flat against her back, she was raised centimetres from the floor as the disgusting normal looking boy stared at her wide eyed and ravenous with pleasure. Izzy spluttered gasping for air and being suffocated internally as her body knotted around the sharp silver, the blade was yanked from her by the very hand that had punctured it through her fragile body. Clary let out a belated squeal before she realised that Jace had already set of pounding against the ground with the largest leaps he could manage, Clary trailed behind a little behind him as she jolted into a sprint as they both ran to Isabelle's defence. Quinn Oliver's mundane disintegrated into wisps of coal black smoke before being transformed into the hellish creature you could ever imagine, it looked like it had been dredged up from the ground and baked in the oven for a good few hours. It had a shining black snake skin, it was faceless it was a ghostly skull with a large mouth that dropped open, it pounced at Isabelle squeezing the breath out of her thin dainty body. The strong independent young woman had been replaced with a defenceless foolish injured individual a sight so heart-breaking to see. Isabelle wailed her arms around, fighting with every might she had. "Jace" she cried in a horse whisper the only thing she could manage as she stretched her arm out towards him. He hadn't stopped, he was still running to save her like he always did. Like he always had. The demon bit viciously into her neck, her legs dangled as it lifted her into the air. Jace ripped out his seraph blade as he skidded to a holt in front of them, he slashed it straight through its body no hesitation, no thought, just anger. He hadn't been able to defend Clary last time but he would make sure for the hell of it he would slaughter this one alone.

Clary stood shyly behind, fragments of her memory from her own attack her coming to the front of her mind she'd pushed them away as much as she could because she was insanely terrified to even think about it but she couldn't do that now. She held her breath and clenched her teeth together bracing herself holding in the fear that just wanted to scream and bolt to never look back, but she knew she couldn't do that.

Within seconds it evaporated into a cloud of black as the air swept it away like brushing dust under a carpet, visually gone but mentally still engrained on everyone's brain. "Isabelle" Jace's voice wailed through the dead silence that fell, it echoed like they were stood in the middle of an ice glacier, it felt as though as it was cracking beneath their feet as Jace felt his heart and his mind almost explode at the scene in front of him.

A white cool mist projected from his mouth as the water vapour from his breath instantly froze an ice cold white, the death of the hell's creature had made their surroundings deathly cold. He grabbed out into thin air, wielding his arms around in a pathetic attempt to catch his little sister who was falling from grace. Gravity acted as a barricade preventing him from getting to her feather weight body, as she hit the floor, crumpling like a piece of old discarded paper. Jace fell to his knees against the ice cold, soaking through concrete. He felt like someone was stabbing pins into his voodoo doll as pains shot into his knees. He scrambled across the floor to reach Izzy's body. She lay sprawled flat against the ground, blood poured from her chest in a fountain like her soul was seeping silently from her, like a running tap. Her hair had become wet and matted from a concoction of rain and a deep scarlet red blood.

The rain lashed down from the pitch black littered sky above them, it had got increasingly heavier and was now drowning the location in which they were. They droplets replicated the silver sparks that spouted from a welding machine as it gliding against hot metal as it moulded it together. Jace fell to his knees against the ice cold, soaking through concrete. He felt like someone was stabbing pins into his voodoo doll as pains shot into his knees. He scrambled across the floor to reach Izzy's body. She lay sprawled flat against the ground, blood poured from her chest in a fountain like her soul was seeping silently from her, like a running tap. Her hair had become wet and matted from a concoction of rain and a deep scarlet red blood.

How can something so angelic and pretty be in a scene so ugly?

Isabelle's glittering dark brown eyes were resting; her eye lids were closed peacefully almost like she'd simply fallen asleep. Dark streaks of eyeliner smeared around her eyelids and ran down her face like she was crying black tears, her slightly blue tainted lips were resting apart and short wisps of breath were struggling their way through. Her hypnotising warm eyes rested; her lids were closed like she'd simply drifted to sleep. But the rest of the body screamed out signs there had been a crazy struggle, tragedy clung around her like an orb, this was something that cops lived for.

Jace yanked off his jacket the leather slipped from him, he turned it inside out wrapped it up into a ball so the warm materialled inside was the on the surface.

"Hold that" Jace ordered to Clary in a whispered tone like he could barely speak, Clary had got to her knees on the other side of Isabelle she hadn't spoken a word she'd hardly breathed since the moment it had happened. Flashbacks were coming to the focal of her mind, snapping in and out of different moments like a constant replay of the goriest highlights of her own attack, she hadn't even heard Jace. "Clary" Jace yelled ripping into her thoughts as she just stared down at Isabelle, Clary jumped instantly and looked up at Jace who she found to now be in just a shirt trying to shove something in her direction. "I know you aren't used to this but focus, hold that against her wound and push down hard" Jace's words were wise and demanding, he seemed calm and collected.

Clary reached out and took the bundled-up Jacket and did as she was told, she looked like a shell of herself every movement she made was slow and her brain couldn't compute things at a normal pace.

Jace clasped Isabelle's fragile hands in his own, her longs nails that were painted in white nail varnish had chipped at the ends and were clustered in mud. He felt hints of warmth on his skin as tears rolled gently down his cheeks, the trickle of heat was short lived as the cold bit against his face.

Jace dug his hands deep into the waist line of his jeans and pulled out his stele. He grabbed Isabelle's arm and traced the thick lines of the rune with an orange burning lazar, he did it a couple of times and every time he looked up at Isabelle she still lay there exactly the same. Jace's heart sank even further, it wasn't working. Why wasn't it working, it had to work. It had to.

"It's not working is it?" Clary asked as she looked at the utter devastation that was plastered all over Jace's face. Jace ignored Clary, he didn't know what to say. He fell back onto his heels in disbelief and hopelessness; he just could not catch a break it was one thing after another and they were just as painful as the previous event he'd been summersaulted into, he had gone his whole life protecting people from demon attacks that was his job that's what he was born to do. In the past week two of the closest people had been attacked by Demons within days of one another and he'd done nothing to stop it every time.

"How did I let this happen again" Jace yelled in almost a scream as he got to his feet and spun around with his fists clenched, the angels were really testing him and it was breaking him. He couldn't handle this, he couldn't handle being tortured by the heavens.

"Jace this wasn't…"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Clary this is on me!" Jace yelled back against Clary's soft-spoken words, she retreated her defence but then found courage from deep inside of her.

"You're a coward if you walk away from them, if you run back home and do exactly what your father wants you're a coward" Clary yelled at him, her voice was echoed out into the empty park, she would not let Jace walk away from this.

"Maybe I am, maybe I am exactly everything he said I am. I'm sick of fighting him or this fate that seems to drag me down every second I stand back up. I must be like him, he's selfish so insanely selfish that no one will ever understand" They're was a hint of irony In his tone, it was less of a shout now and more like a harsh realisation.

"You think you're selfish?" Clary laughed a little, she could barely believe what she was hearing.

"Yes, my sister is lying dying on the floor and I'm making this about me. You can't get any more selfish" Jace shouted rough and angrily.

"Wake up Jace! You devote your life to protecting pricks like Quin Oliver from things they'd

never believe so that they can live their like fucking up and getting smashed. You live with

your father and brother who are cruel and couldn't hate you anymore but you won't abandon

them because despite everything you still value them as family. Your life was planned for you

before you were even born because of the mistakes of our parents and I've never once heard

you complain. That is not selfish" Clary looked up at Jace who stood still barely listening to

her pleads his hands and face were smothered in blood from Isabelle's chest, it was smeared into

his hair where he'd pushed it back as it fell into his eyes. He reached up and wiped the rain from

his face.

"Call Magnus, he'll know what to do. Tell him get to the Institute as quickly as possible" Jace

blurted out of his mouth in a hurry. A glimmer of hope lit back into his eyes, as he tracked

back towards Isabelle. Like the entire conversation they had just asked hadn't existed. Clary stared

at him and watched him as he went, was she going crazy did she just imagine that?

"Why can't Magus come here?" Clary asked, deciding against bring up the subject just in case

Jace did in fact confirm she was crazy.

"He needs the strongest magic he could ever possibly use, we need to go to the institute"

Jace replied as it was almost obvious. Why was Clary asking questions at a time like this? He

Head heard everything she had said and had chosen to ignore it. Clary had only been here for a

Fragment of time, it was of course a fragment of his least favourite days but there was so more

to this than she knew.

He scooped down and picked up Isabelle in his arms he small body resembled something as elegant

as a dear but as injured as one that had been totalled by an artic lorry. It felt like any second

she would grow large white wings from her back and be flying a few feet above them smiling, she'd

have a male angel on her arm, her hair would be flowing and her makeup would be pristine. This

didn't happen, she just lay lifeless head tilted, eyes closed.

Jace walked away from Clary, she looked after him whilst she put the phone to her ear. Tonight

she'd felt the closest to Jace she'd ever felt and right now she felt as furthest away from him as

possible. Alec stood in a dark and lonely bus station, the hurry and bustle of people rushing

around like their lives were coming to an end had ended, the sounds of bus pulling in and out of

the station had come to a holt. Daytime sounds had calmed, and faded out when the night time

air crept in. Alec was stood leant against a tarnished orange brick wall, dressed in a black

hooded jumper if someone was to pass they wouldn't even realise he was stood there, he had

the hood of the jacket over his head and chunks of his black hair stuck out the front.

The lamppost on the other side of the station gave off a small pale white light only just

about revealed the empty station. He looked out from the depot he could only make out

various shapes beyond the fence on the far side of the old place.

The moon arched in the sky, it looked down on the world, waiting and watching, wishing

and warning. The shiny light laced the tracks with a shimmery gleam; Alec followed the trace

of light to as far up the tracks that I could see. He heard a noise, he turned my head quickly.

Twigs began to snap; his heart began to race. He put his hand to his bow and reached for an arrow.

A small tiny creature bounded out of the long grass of the field adjacent to him. Relief flooded

over him. It stopped and stared, a small pair of black eyes bored into his own as it watched him

stare back. Two small dainty lights appeared in the creature's eyes as fear came over its face.

The rabbit quickly scampered off, disappearing into the darkness of the night. Alec turned back;

the two bright lights hit his eyes also. Noise began to disrupt the strange kind of peace he'd

adjusted to; the ground under his feet began to shudder a little. It raced towards him like a

bullet fired from a gun, it made a revving sound as it graduated around the corners, getting

closer and closer with each jault. It slowed, the atmosphere calmed, it came to sudden halt in

the bay in front of him. The bus came into the light, the doors opened, nobody stepped out. Not

one passenger.

Alec stared at the bus with a small frown, it waited a few seconds before the doors slammed

shut again and it pulled back out of the station and went the other way. As the bus

disappeared, there was a figure on the other side. It was looking directly at Alec.

The passenger looked like the average fairly normal teenage boy. He stood in black skinny jeans

that clung to his long thin legs, a plain black shirt that ended at his wait and was cut from view at

the sleeves; as a long black coat was draped over his bony shoulders. In which a shabby

backpack hung on one strap. His dirty blonde hair was swept to one side; his dark evil eyes stared

into Alec's. It stalked its way over towards him slowly like a lion playing with its food. Alec

stood impatiently rolling his eyes, as he came out of the shadows. The figure was less than three

feet in front of him and Alec wished it to come no further. It stopped, the teenage boy folded

his arms and put his feet together to let Alec know he'd stopped. Alec took down his

hood, smoothed out his hair and looked on at this guy stood awkwardly and prepared for anything.

"Lightwood, always a pleasure" A little sarcastic evil voice came out of the mouth of the invited

but unwanted guest in Alec's presence.

"Jonathan, to be honest never a pleasure" Alec retorted back, as Jace's older brother toyed with

him like this was some sort of sick game of cat and mouse. Alec guessed he would be the mouse.

"Pity, but you called for me remember" Jonathan grinned, shifting on his feet revealing a set

of straight pearly white teeth. Alec glared at him not at all amused by his sick little charade.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

The bell at the top of the door jingled on it's hook at it was opened and a remaining few Mundane customers stepped out of the small family run restaurant into the cold night, the cold seeped through the door and hovered around the booth closest to the window that hosted two teenagers in black who stared at one another with contempt. The purple neon light from the window reflected against the dirty blonde hair of one of them, it shaded around his hair and the side of his face. It blended with the dashes of darkness that cut through his pupils disguising the greyish green, presenting them as shadowed pebbles that had been swallowed by the sea. The high chiselled cheek bones that looked sharp enough to cut and a tight clenched face looked like he was an open wound basked in salt. He was never to be mistaken, he was designed to stand out, he was sculpted to be different. That was Jonathan, as plain as day black and white a razor of evil. Alec knew he was dicing with death but it was something so enticing that tempted him in, he'd come so far there was no backing out now.

The counterpart to Jace's Innocence was Jonathans immorality, and his obviousness in being such a narcissistic cruel individual was something you might admire. He didn't shadow himself, he knew he was evil to the bone and decided it was impossible to hide who he was so instead he embraced it like there was a demon writhing in his blood. He never pretended to be someone different, he was always so keen to shine in evil. With a father like his maybe that was easier option out of the two, maybe it's Jace you should admire for being so defiant and true to himself. It would depend on what side of the scale of morality you tiptoed on, Alec was beginning to slide off the end of Jonathan's side and was powerless to stop it.

"Why did you bring me here?" Alec was slumped on a white leather booth, he pressed his legs together, feet flat on the floor and his body language suggested he was enclosed and a little uptight. He glanced across at Jace's older brother who lounged on the opposing side, his back was against the window and his feet stretched out along the bench one arm swung at the back of it and the other propped up on the table. He looked so natural, so calm and normal, who would have thought it was Jonathan who would blend in amongst the lazy teenagers of the mundane world. Alec was happy to stand in the shadows of the bus station but Jonathan had other ideas, and he wasn't quite sure if this was a part of his charade to try and get at him. The first-born Wayland child loved to play games, mind games were his hat trick. He could get into people's heads and mess with their minds within seconds, he's been known to loosen the tongue of many and it didn't take him much to figure out what he needed to get in. It takes a hell of a lot of strength to prevent him from irritating you, worming his way inside your head and tunnelling out any truth, Jace had years of practice a whole 16 years he'd worked on his defence and even he slipped up every now and then. Alec knew he had no chance at winning such a war but he needed to be here, he needed this meet with Jonathan and it wasn't his telling powers of persuasion he needed him to put to the test.

Jonathan shrugged in reply to Alec's question "This is your place isn't it, you and that brother of mine used to come here all the time" He wondered his eyes over towards Alec, like something that lay on his dinner plate, and Alec who played up to the part sat frozen still not barely daring to blink. He didn't want to give anything away just yet he had to play his cards very close to his chest if this was ever going to work and Alec was desperate to make this work. Jonathan cocked his head to one side and smirked a little at his guest's discomfort.

"How do you know?" Alec questioned stiffening himself up like a board, he was trying to present himself as non-giving and as serious as possible but Jonathan was almost making a mockery of him by lounging around acting like he did this on a casual basis.

"What? Don't act surprised of course our father kept tabs on him. How is he anyway the brat?" Jonathan picked up the coffee in the mug he'd been handed when they both walked in, Alec thought it best if they buy something to blend in. Jonathan didn't do blending he had no prerogative of trying to hide himself from Mundane's he'd slay them where they stood if his father hadn't asked him to not draw attention to himself or the family. He asked it of both Jace and Jonathan but Jace was too busy running around New York with his little Clave family to pay any notice of their own family dues.

"You don't care about Jace" Alec spat getting a little braver in his position across the table, Alec had always been the big brother the sibling domain ended at his feet so he just copied from Jace's behaviour bold as brass when he had to be but calm and quiet when it was needed. Alec didn't have the know how to navigate the Wayland's, the Lightwood's were more like family dinners, celebrations and parties, talking about issues and delegating responsibility. They embraced family life where as the Wayland's were a little different. They were more like rigorous training, arguing, competing for attention, rules, secrets, lies and hurting one another as much as possible.

Jonathan was pleased with Alec's attempts to stand his ground, for him to be here in the first place suggested there was more to Alexander Lightwood than he had ever imagined. Alec had contacted him and suggested that they meet Jonathan thought it was some kind of joke but humoured him anyway. He couldn't believe his eye's when the oldest Lightwood child stepped out of the shadows like he'd said he would. There's such a difference between words and actions and Alec had proven he knew such a thing.

Jonathan spat the coffee back in the mug, he would try to blend in but he wouldn't drink another sip of that bullshit in a cup. It was disgusting, Jonathan imagined that's what happiness tasted like burnt wood and sugar.

"Oh, I guess you're right. I don't, I couldn't careless he should have been drowned at birth. But you on the other hand you do care. Which begs the question why are you here?" Jonathan taunted with him in a state of a little marvel at his bravery, he'd wondered just how far he could push him. He'd clearly been pushed into this, he'd had to give information to Jonathan and his father to even get this meeting, so he'd bargained his chips Jonathan just wondered if he had the cards to back them up. "I need a favour" Alec said in more of a mumble compared to his previous outbursts of bravery, he needed Jonathan for something he wasn't able to do himself but the consequences of it could cost an incredible price for Alec but it was something he needed to do for himself. He'd earned his right to be selfish, it didn't matter how much he tried to convince himself that this was for the good of everyone he knew it was only beneficial to him but what scared him the most was that he wasn't sure he even cared.

Jonathan's eyes widened and his face picked up with intrigue, his sick smirk widened across his face. If a Lightwood needed a favour from the likes of him it was something very interesting indeed. "This favour, how do I benefit?" Jonathan toyed with Alec in excitement this was the most guts he'd ever seen from a from a preppy self-righteous clave abiding delinquent born into a big golden family. He was going to ravel in such success of the temptation of the dark side, and the best thing was it was Jace's closest best friend. How ironic that he'd go to Jonathan, this was the ultimate betrayal so the kid had to be extremely desperate.

"I'll give you information and in return you do me this favour" Alec proposed, he wasn't bargaining he'd laid his proposal on the table and that's all he had Jonathan could tell from his body language. Jonathan shifted in his seat, changing himself from a lounge into a sitting up right position as if he was about to get into business with him. A small sarcastic chuckle came from the smart mouthed wise ass, this was too good to miss. The whole thing was unbelievably incredible if this wasn't the fall of Jace Jonathan couldn't fathom what would be. "You want to trade information? There's nothing stopping me from taking what I need from you this very second" Jonathan played. It was Alec's turn but he came up short, he was very aware that this was a possibility but he was praying to the angels that Jonathan would just accept because every single word that trickled from his mouth like a venomous poison was nothing but the spiteful truth. Alec shifted uncomfortably in his seat and twitched his fingers nervously beneath the table trying to rack his brain.

Jonathan responded by thickening out his shoulders and settling back a bit, he reached up and pushed his hair out of his face in that second looking exactly like Jace. Twangs of conscious set into Alec as a lump formed in his throat. "Tell you what, because I admire this whole dabble on the dark side thing you've got going on, you answer 3 questions with nothing but complete truth and I'll grant you your favour" The firstborn Morgenstern laid down his laws, the thing about Jonathan he never did anything for free. He didn't do favours, the only person he relentlessly and loyally followed was his father. This information giving, he could achieve without Alec's cooperation so there was something in this for him, there was always an agender something Alec had clearly misunderstood or was to desperate to care for Jonathan's games.

"Done" Alec snapped up the chance, it was the best chance he had. Three questions couldn't do much damage, and there was no price on what he needed doing so in his mind it seemed fair he was under the impression that he had the upper hand. He showed this by presenting a small but noticeable smirk on their face. The two gentleman both believing they had the hat trick began to get serious and deal.

"I'll know if you don't tell the truth, does Jace have the redhead?" Jonathan asked, a little cocksure.

Alec took a deep inhale of breath, he'll know this when he asks his favour so in a way it was a little bit of a wasted question and easy to answer. "Yes" Alec answered shortly, he felt a little liberated having said it he wasn't sure if this was correct or not. But his moral compass was a little damaged or maybe obliterated into pieces so maybe wrong was the new right.

"That lying fucking bastard, I knew it. How long?" Jonathan asked, he banged his hand against the table. He two felt an overwhelming relief he absolutely knew it, it was the only thing he'd ever kept to himself and not gone straight to his father about he wanted concrete proof before saying anything. His father had been stressed and in business with very important people he needed to be absolutely sure, now he was.

Jonathan's reaction was little more than Alec expected, why had Jace lied to Jonathan about the mission for The Clave what did it have to do with him. He hesitated when asking the next question but grabbed every grasp of courage he managed to give an answer. "Days ago" He managed to get out of his throat as it was beginning to close and strangle his words, his body was trying to prevent him from seeping anymore secrets.

Jonathan wasn't quite so aggressive in his response this time, he just shook his head unbelievably he could absolutely crucify Jace with this, this could not have gone any better if he'd made it up. You didn't know whether to laugh or cry, Jace's best friend had betrayed him and asked him for a favour, he'd also caught him out on the biggest lie he'd ever told and he still had another question to ask it was nothing short of a miracle it was about time the demons payed out anyway after all the evil Jonathan had ever committed. Seen as Jace was trying to keep his mother and sister from him he was cashing this in to his father at the first chance.

"Does he have a Parabatai?" Jonathan finally answered after thinking long on hard on what would put the nails in his brother's coffin if he ever needed a backup which of course after this was highly unlikely but you can never be to prepared. He was always suspicious of this fact and he was almost certain that he did because Jace was a little bitch and couldn't do anything alone so he needed the strength from someone else to help him, could he be anymore pathetic it was almost sickening.

Alec nodded this time cautiously, this was something Alec knew for sure Jace never wanted his family knowing, maybe it wasn't as big deal as he made out it was. Alec always had a niggling thought that maybe he only said this to Alec away from his family life, which was completely unfair because Jace was practically welcomed open armed into the Lightwoods. Every time Alec even tried to ask about the Wayland's he got shut out and told to leave it. Jonathan didn't have anymore questions to ask but it wasn't exactly hard to work out who it was, Alec thought. Maybe it was better that they did know, maybe this was his way to get closer to Jace as close as he's allowed Clary to be after only knowing her less than a week.

"The favour?" Jonathan asked

"I need you to get rid of Clary Fairchild" Alec demanded, his tone was certain and firm. He hadn't done all that for nothing he needed this favour to go through. She'd been getting Jace in a whole lot of unnecessary shit with the Clave and his family had been through a whole lot because of that Mundane slut he wasn't going to allow it to go on any longer. And Alec hated her.

Jonathan was the right person to use to get rid of her, he didn't have to follow the Clave he spat on everything the believed in and had no respect for them what so ever and was off their radar not being brought up to work for them. He also had the guts and the know-how, something Alec lacked the most.

Jonathan let out an over exasperated laugh like he'd been punched in the gut, Jonathan only laughed at things that normal people would find grotesque but even this was a little more even for Jonathan. Alec looked at him with a frown, it grew ever so increasingly deeper as Jonathan continued and didn't quit.

"Wait you are serious?" Jonathon immediately stopped laughing when Alec stared at him in discomfort he was trying his hardest to think about what had provoked such a reaction, he probably thought it was a little pathetic that Alec was asking for Jonathan to get rid of a girl but this wasn't a question of strength.

"Yes of course I'm serious. I did my side now you do yours" Alec banged a little aggressively on the table as he leaned over to Jonathan with a scowl, he knew there was a chance he'd double cross him but he wasn't about to let that happen.

"He hasn't told you as he? Oh Alexander" Jonathan couldn't quite believe it; his little brother hadn't even told his best friend their father's plan. That suggests incredible loyalty or complete dismissal and the fact that Jace hadn't handed over his sister to his father suggests it's the latter.

Alec bolted backwards in his seat, what was he talking about? "Told me what?"

"Father asked Jace to return home with the Fairchild girl instead of handing her over to the Clave" Jonathan lazed against the seat, if he leaned back any further he might just slip underneath the table, his face was wrapped in a smug grin. He couldn't have done a better job if he tried, it was like all the pieces of the jigsaw had slotted into place on their own and there was nothing he had to do, it was like a slight flick of the hand and all of his dirty work was done. All the time he had spent trying to frame Jace for things he hadn't done, and make his life as miserable as possible and then it just so happens all of this rolls into place requiring now effort of his own it was almost unimaginable.

"Yeah but why would Jace double cross the Clave? He's not like you two he's committed. Alec challenged irrationally, it was irrefutable. Jace was the model Shadowhunter he was the best of his generation there was no way he'd do that he was loyal. Which he's proved since he took her to the Clave.

"You don't know any of it. Oh, I pity you, The Clave have let Jace go. He's done at the institute and with the Clave he's coming home full time" Jonathan revealed patronisingly. He watched as Alec's face went from tensely clenched into a soft sadness as his heart broke in front of his eyes and then the next stage of denial anger. This was priceless what had Jonathan done that made the Angels give him all his dreams in one.

"NO. You're winding me up, he wouldn't do that to me" Alec yelled aggressively the shy nervous boy had flourished into an angry confident man and had only been in Jonathans presence less that ten minutes. He would have told him, wouldn't he?

"He doesn't have a choice"

"He does and I'm going to convince him to stay, he won't come back"

"And how are you going to do that? Jace may not have a choice but you did. I mean I don't think much of that spineless son of a whore but I do know he has integrity. He won't forgive you for this" This was the corker! The bow on the gifts he'd been given Jonathan didn't do something for nothing and his agender was this, Alec had betrayed Jace there was no way he'd even consider fighting to stay with the Lightwood's now how could he? He couldn't trust them either, he'd done good and he knew it.

Alec shook his head at the demon that sat before him, he scooted out of the booth and adjusted his jacket.

"You know what they say, don't dance with the devil if you don't know how to dance pretty boy" Jonathan grinned as he watched Alec flap about preparing to run off home and fix what the damage he'd done the second he'd stepped out of the shadows in the bus station. Jonathan had maybe pinned him to high he was still the weepy little bitch that hid behind his family name, grovelling to the clave hiding who he was.

"I want it done" Alec leaned in on Jonathan centimetres from his face.

"It's funny what you do for love isn't it. I mean I always pegged you as his parabatai but we all know you can't be in love with your parabatai don't we. Does he know your in love with him?"

Alec backed off instantly almost falling back on his feet. He stared at him for a few seconds with a white sheet complexion, he looked like he was about to be sick. He pushed himself off the concrete pillar he'd backed into away from Jonathan's words and bolted towards the door.

The bell rung out for almost a minute after he slammed it closed behind him and out into the street.


End file.
